A father-son duo lost their lives to the deadly rabies disease in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. The cause of the disease was their pet cat who had been bitten by a stray dog. The duo had been dead within a week after they were bitten by their pet.
What had happened?
The incident took place in Akbarpur city of Kanpur Dehat where a resident had kept a cat in his house as a pet. All the members of the family used to play with the cat and even feed her. One day, it was bitten by a stray dog and within the next few days it started developing the symptoms of rabies. Later, while playing, a young man of the family got scratched by the cat. Gradually his condition started deteriorating and the symptoms of the cat started appearing in the young man. A few days later, the young man died. Then, the same situation occurred with the father of the deceased youth and within a week the father and son died due to rabies.
Panic spreads in the area
The news of the deaths spread like wildfire in the area leading to an atmosphere of panic among other residents. At present, other members of the family were sent to Kanpur for testing so that other members of the family remained safe. There is fear among the people of the area that the cat may have bitten or scratched someone else. This incident has led to concern among those keeping dogs and cats as pets at home.
What do doctors say?
According to senior doctor Amit Katiyar, pets should be given anti-rabies injections. If ever a stray animal attacks family members, the wound must be cleaned first with spirit. One needs to be sure to get treatment after consulting a doctor because sometimes the symptoms of rabies can appear even after years and if care is not taken, the person may die. In such a situation, treatment and awareness are the only protection.
(Reported by - Gyanendra Shukla)
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