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MUMBAI: The number of dog bite cases in the city in 2018 recorded a near 20% jump as compared to the previous year. But what has got BMC worried is the death of a 10-year-old boy from Malad due to rabies recently—the first mortality from the viral disease since 2017.

Data shows that from 72,470 dog bite cases in 2017, the number rose to 85,546 in 2018. This year so far, nearly 23,000 cases have been registered. While BMC officials attribute some percentage of the rise to bites from other animals such as cats and monkeys being documented as ‘dog bites’ since 2018, they admit there has been an increase in dog bites too. To add to the worries, an antirabies vaccine shortage is looming as manufacturers have begun demanding higher rates.

Since Moksh Sanjanwala’s death on July 16, the BMC’s veterinary health department along with NGOs in Malad has launched a drive to catch the rabid dog. Strangely, in this case, there was not a clear history of a bite barring an incident of scratching on April 25.

