Laloda village in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat witnessed a different kind of emergency on Thursday when 32 people rushed to the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) in Idar, seeking anti-rabies vaccines (ARV). The panic was triggered after a buffalo whose milk they had consumed for several days died of suspected bovine rabies.
Dr Sanjaykumar Chauhan, Superintendent of the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) in Idar, said, “There is a lot of awareness regarding dog bites and rabies due to the national conversation around it, but not about bovine rabies and the fact that it cannot be transmitted through consuming the milk of an infected animal. So when people from Laloda village came in for the ARV, we gave it to them to avoid panic.”
District Veterinary Officer Dr Janak B Patel, Deputy Director at the Animal Husbandry Department, told The Indian Express, “The buffalo belonging to Vishal Prabhu Patel of Laloda village died on March 5. The animal had been sick for about a week prior to its death. The owner had contacted a veterinarian from Sabar Dairy and a private veterinarian as well for treatment, but had not informed the veterinary officer at the Government Animal Dispensary in Idar.”
An investigation into the animal’s death revealed that the sick buffalo had been constantly drooling and had stopped eating and drinking water. The veterinarian had advised the owner to keep the animal in isolation after diagnosing it with suspected bovine rabies.
Dr Patel said, “The owner claims that the animal was not bitten by any dog, rabid or otherwise. However, it is possible that the animal may have been bitten several months earlier, since the incubation period of the rabies virus depends on where the animal is bitten and how close the bite is to the brain. This period can range between two and six months.”
Dr Patel added, “At the time the animal was sick, milk from it may have been consumed by villagers, which led to panic among the population over possible transmission. However, this is a myth. As a precautionary measure, we have administered anti-rabies vaccinations to other animals as well.”
Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters.
Expertise
Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat.
Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border.
Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad.
Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures, including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read More
