First rabies case of 2026 reported in Karachi
Karachi reported its first rabies case of 2026 as an eight-year-old girl developed fatal symptoms after a stray dog bite and delayed, inadequate medical treatment.
KARACHI (Web Desk) - The first rabies case of the year has been reported in Karachi, involving an eight-year-old girl belonging to Sanghar district.
According to details, the child, a resident of Jhol city, was diagnosed with rabies one and a half months after being bitten by a stray dog. She was shifted to Korangi’s Indus Hospital after developing severe symptoms.
Rabies Prevention Clinic Manager at Indus Hospital, Aftab Gohar, stated that the child received inadequate treatment at multiple government hospitals before being referred to Indus Hospital. He revealed that during initial treatment, the wound was not washed, a critical step in rabies prevention.
Hospital authorities said the child has developed clear symptoms such as fear of water and air, indicating that the disease has reached an advanced stage.
According to hospital data, 1,500 dog bite cases have been reported at Indus Hospital this year, while 800 cases were recorded at Jinnah Hospital. Meanwhile, over 400 dog bite cases have surfaced at Civil Hospital so far this year.
Statistics show that last year, 20 people lost their lives due to rabies at two major hospitals in Karachi.
Medical experts have urged the public to immediately wash dog bite wounds with soap and water and ensure complete vaccination, warning that rabies becomes 100 percent fatal once symptoms appear.
