Two more people have died from rabies in Karachi, raising the number of reported deaths in Sindh to 22 this year, health officials said on Friday.
The latest victims include an 11-year-old boy from Mirpurkhas who died at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on Friday and a 24-year-old man who died at the same hospital a day earlier.
Of the 22 rabies deaths reported across Sindh, 13 occurred at Indus Hospital in Karachi, eight at JPMC and one at Indus Hospital in Badin, according to health authorities.
The 11-year-old boy, identified as Abu Bakar, developed rabies encephalitis around two months after being bitten by a dog. His family said he had completed the recommended post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following the bite, making the circumstances of his case particularly notable.
He was brought to JPMC on Wednesday night after experiencing fever and irritability for several days, followed by difficulty eating and drinking. His condition deteriorated and he died on Friday.
The second victim, Shehryar from Karachi’s Qayyumabad area, had also been bitten by a dog approximately two months earlier.
Doctors said Shehryar did not receive post-exposure rabies vaccination following the bite.