There has been an exponential rise in the number of dog bite cases in the past few years in Kannur district.
On Monday alone, as many 40 cases of dog bites were reported from the district, taking the total tally of dog bite cases to 342 this month.
According to the Health department, as many as 8,161 cases have been reported this year. In 2019, there were 5,974 cases. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the cases dipped to 3,981 in 2020. However, the number stood at 7,927 in 2021 after the government relaxed pandemic curbs.
The district has also reported rabies deaths. In February this year, a person died of rabies at Peruva in Kolayad panchayat. In 2021, another person bitten by a dog at Sreekandapuram died. Two cases of rabies death were reported in 2020 at Azhikode and Naduvil. Between 2020 and 2017, only one death was reported.
Dog bite cases have been on the rise, despite the Animal Husbandry department taking Animal Birth Control (ABC) measures in the district.
Animal Husbandry department Deputy Director Ajith Babu said since the ABC programme was launched in 2016, the department had effectively carried out sterilisation of dogs. So far, 8,073 dogs have been sterilised, and a sum of ₹90 lakh has been spent for the purpose.
Dr. Babu said sterilisation was mostly done at the facility at Pappinisseri. There is another sterilisation centre at Thalassery. An ABC centre would be opened at Padiyur in September, he said. As many as 20 dogs can be simultaneously sterilised at the centre, which has been set up at a cost of ₹63 lakh. An additional ₹30 lakh will be utilised to provide more facilities at the centre.
