Kerala woman dies of rabies after shielding son from stray dog attack

In another fatal stray dog attack reported from Kerala, a 30-year-old woman died due to rabies in Wayanad, after sustaining multiple bite injuries on her face while trying to shield her child from a rabid dog last month.

Rincy, who hails from Padinjarethara in Wayanad, succumbed to rabies at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Friday, despite being given anti-rabies treatment at a government hospital on the day of the incident. She was attacked by the stray dog near Mundakutty on May 18, while she was returning from a function with her 18-month-old son Jithin and neighbour's daughter Anusree. 

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“She was carrying our son Jithin and walking back home along with another girl from our neighbourhood. A dog pounced at the child. She quickly held Jithin close to her body and lay on the ground,“ The Times of India quoted Rincy's husband Binoy as saying.

Though the child escaped unhurt, the dog bit Rincy several times on the forehead, nose and lips when she attempted to shield her son. Rincy took the anti-rabies vaccination at the Mananthavady district hospital immediately after the attack but started showing symptoms of rabies from Wednesday and finally succumbed to the illness at the Kozhikode Medical College on Friday.

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Meanwhile, Binoy said he would take Jithin to the Medical College on Monday as he is worried that Rincy had been breastfeeding him and wanted to ensure that the virus didn't pass on.

• Wayanad
• stray dog attack