Test results confirm rabies infection not reason for death of woman in Kerala

The scientific examination of the blood samples of a woman bitten by a dog recently, to ascertain the reason behind her death, has revealed that she was not infected with rabies, health officials said here on Tuesday.

Community Medicine department sources attached to Kozhikode medical college hospital said the test results received from Integrated Diseases Surveillance Project had come out as negative for rabies. P Chandrika of Randeyaaru in Perambra, who was bitten by a dog on her face on July 21, had died on August 22.

Reports had said the woman had died of suspected rabies, despite taking four doses of vaccines.

The dog had bitten seven others of the same locality.

She was admitted to the Government Medical College hospital here early last week after she developed some health issues but died on Saturday midnight.

However, medical college authorities had said a final confirmation on whether Chandrika was infected with rabies will be known only after receiving the lab test of her samples.