Gujarat Labourer Hospitalized with Severe Rabies Symptoms After Dog Bite Incident
A 27-year-old labourer from Gujarat's Banaskantha district has been admitted to a government hospital after developing severe rabies symptoms, including alarming animal-like behavior. The patient, identified as Deva Dungri, who worked in Narasal village in Palanpur, was bitten by a dog approximately three months ago but did not receive anti-rabies vaccination at that time.
Critical Condition and Hospital Admission
Dungri was brought to Banas Medical College and General Hospital in Palanpur around 3 am on Saturday. According to medical professionals, including Dr. Sunil Joshi, his chances of survival are extremely slim. Rabies is known to be almost always fatal once clinical symptoms manifest, making this a particularly grave medical situation.
Disturbing Symptoms and Behavior
Hospital authorities reported that the patient exhibited abnormal behavior that has drawn significant attention. This included involuntary vocalizations that some members of the public have described as resembling barking, along with disoriented movements where he appeared to be walking on all fours. As his condition deteriorated at the hospital, he became increasingly aggressive, leading to his transfer to an isolated ward.
In a particularly distressing development, Dr. Sunil Joshi stated that Dungri even began biting the iron bars of a window in the isolated ward. Video clips capturing these incidents have circulated widely on social media platforms, highlighting the severity of his condition.
Restraint and Treatment Measures
Prior to hospitalization, villagers had to restrain Dungri before transporting him to the medical facility. Once at the hospital, the situation required additional intervention. The medical institution sought assistance from local police and the forest department to help control the patient. This included discussions about potentially using dart injections for additional sedation.
Officials confirmed that the man was eventually restrained using mesh and wire and was sedated with an injection. Dr. Sunil Joshi emphasized that treatment is ongoing, but the prognosis remains dire given the advanced stage of the disease.
Medical Context and Public Health Implications
Doctors have confirmed that the rabies infection resulted directly from the dog bite that occurred nearly three months earlier, with the absence of timely anti-rabies shots leading to the onset of the disease. The World Health Organization classifies rabies as a highly fatal viral zoonotic disease that causes progressive inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, severely affecting the central nervous system in humans and other mammals.
This case underscores the critical importance of immediate medical intervention following animal bites, particularly in regions where rabies remains a public health concern. The incident has drawn attention to vaccination protocols and awareness campaigns about rabies prevention in rural and urban communities across India.
