Delhi Govt To Declare Rabies As Notifiable Disease Amid Rising Dog Bites

Waking up to the persistent threat of rabies—a zoonotic disease that still claims lives despite being entirely preventable—the Delhi Government has finally decided to act decisively. In line with India’s national goal of eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030, Delhi Health Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar said on Sunday that it will soon declare human rabies a notifiable disease, joining several other states that have already taken this step.

Dr. Kumar said that a notification will be issued shortly under the Epidemic Diseases Act, making it mandatory for all government and private health facilities, including medical colleges and individual practitioners, to report every suspected, probable, and confirmed case of human rabies to the health authorities.

“This is about saving lives,” Dr. Kumar said, underlining that “early reporting is critical. It allows us to respond swiftly and prevent further transmission.”

Overall, at the national level, reported dog-bite cases in India too have risen sharply over the last three years, underscoring why rabies surveillance can no longer remain weak or fragmented. According to IDSP–IHIP data, cases jumped from 21.9 lakh in 2022 to over 37.1 lakh in 2024—a rise of nearly 70% in just two years. Even January 2025 alone recorded over 4.29 lakh dog-bite cases, signaling that the burden remains persistently high.

Large and densely populated states account for a disproportionate share of bites. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar consistently report the highest numbers, each recording over one to four lakh cases annually. Tamil Nadu alone reported nearly 4.8 lakh dog bites in 2024, while Maharashtra remained the single largest contributor across all years. This indicates sustained human–dog interaction in urban and peri-urban settings, where stray dog populations are dense and municipal control measures uneven.

Delhi’s trend is particularly instructive. While its absolute numbers are lower than large states, reported dog-bite cases in the capital rose nearly four-fold, from 6,691 in 2022 to 25,210 in 2024, reflecting both rising exposure and improved reporting through IHIP. The sharp increase strengthens the case for making rabies notifiable, as better surveillance often leads to higher reported numbers before eventual decline.

The risk is not confined to dog bites alone. Government data show that bites from other animals also account for a significant share of exposure to rabies across the country.

According to figures reported by States and Union Territories on the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme–Integrated Health Information Platform (IDSP–IHIP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, rural areas recorded over 27 lakh animal-bite cases between January and December 2024. Of these, dog bites accounted for 21.95 lakh cases, while bites from other animals—including monkeys—numbered 5.04 lakh cases.

The data also highlight the vulnerability of children. During the same period, over 5.19 lakh dog-bite cases were reported among children below 15 years of age across the country, underscoring the disproportionate risk faced by younger populations, particularly in rural settings.

However, despite millions of dog bites annually, reported human rabies deaths remain strikingly low—just 21 in 2022, 50 in 2023, and 54 in 2024 nationwide. Delhi has reported zero human rabies deaths during this period. Experts caution that this apparent gap between exposure and mortality does not necessarily mean elimination. Instead, it points to significant underreporting, especially of deaths occurring outside hospitals, delayed care-seeking, and misclassification of cause of death—issues well documented in earlier studies.

At present, anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) are available at 59 health facilities across all 11 districts of Delhi, while rabies immunoglobulin (RIG)—essential for severe animal bites—is stocked at 33 designated hospitals, officials said, assuring that treatment is accessible if sought in time.

The Delhi government is also finalizing its State Action Plan for Rabies Elimination (SAPRE) in coordination with municipal bodies, the Animal Husbandry Department, and other stakeholders, said Dr. Kumar.

Public health experts have long stressed that eliminating rabies requires more than medical treatment alone. Dr. D.H. Ashwath Narayana, Professor of Community Medicine and a member of the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Rabies, has argued for a phased, multipronged "One Health" approach, integrating human health, veterinary services, wildlife surveillance, and urban governance. “No death from rabies is acceptable,” he said. “Coordination and political commitment are as important as vaccines.”

India bears over one-third of the global rabies burden, with studies showing substantial underreporting, particularly of deaths occurring outside hospitals.

Dr. Uday Kakroo, a senior veterinarian, stated that while notifying the disease no doubt helps strengthen the surveillance, overall rabies control efforts on the ground have not been up to the mark, particularly when it comes to dog vaccination, especially in rural areas.

He pointed out that the national programme lacks seriousness and consistency in implementation. “Intersectoral coordination has to be strengthened, particularly in remote rural areas bordering forests in particular where primary health is almost insufficient.”

Talking to The Health Outlook, he said the absence of systematic tagging of stray dogs makes it impossible to assess vaccination coverage. “Also, public awareness about the importance of vaccination is very important. Without proper tagging, there is no way to know which dog has been vaccinated and which has been missed,” he said, stressing the need for dedicated laboratories to monitor sick animals, especially those displaying unusual aggression or behavioral changes.

Dr. Kakroo also pointed out that dogs frequently bite not only humans but other animals as well, raising concerns about intra-species transmission of the virus. “This aspect remains poorly studied and urgently needs attention. Without a strong surveillance system for animals, rabies cannot be effectively contained,” he said.

Highlighting the human health response, Dr. Vijay Kumar Agrawal, Senior Pulmonologist at Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad, emphasized the critical importance of awareness and timely post-bite care, particularly in peripheral and rural healthcare settings.

He said the first and most vital step after an animal bite is to wash the wound immediately under running water for at least 10 minutes using soap or detergent. A disinfectant should then be applied, but the use of traditional home remedies such as turmeric, lime, chili, or oils must be strictly avoided, as they can aggravate the injury and delay healing. “The wound should not be touched or bandaged unless done by a trained healthcare professional.” Above all, he stressed the need to seek prompt medical care and initiate post-exposure prophylaxis without delay.