Rabid dog attacks 46 in a day in Rajapalayam

RAJAPALAYAM: More than 44 people were bitten by a stray dog believed to have rabies on Saturday. The dog attacked two people on Friday evening.
On Saturday morning, it started attacking more people in Kammaipatti and Sammanthapuram. Angry residents tried to capture the canine, which fled to Patchaimadam, and started biting people at random. It unleashed terror in Sathirapatti Road, Ambalapuli Bazaar and Thoppupatti Street.It even chased and bit a few two wheeler riders. By Saturday evening, it had bitten 46 people from various parts of Rajapalayam town.
The municipality workers failed to capture it near water bodies surrounding the town. Twenty workers were deployed to capture the dog and they caught a dog at Pachaimadam after four hours.
It was taken to the veterinary hospital for screening, but to the horror of health officials, the captured dog was the wrong one as reports of attacks continued later in the evening too. The victims were taken to Government Hospital in Rajapalayam and given vaccines.
Meanwhile, rumors started spreading of more dogs infected by this dog attacking people in various areas. Corporation workers received information that a stray dog was attacking people in INTUC colony on Saturday night.
M Kathiresan, joint director of health services, said they had treated 40 people till evening and received news about six more dog bite cases. "The dog captured seems to be wrong one because biting continues. A total of 40 people ? 26 men and 14 women ? were given immunoglobulin injections and they were instructed to take anti-rabies vaccine without fail," he said. The dog seems to be infected with rabies because the injuries inflicted by it are gruesome. Once it is captured will be sent to Pasteur Institute in Coonoor to study the infection, he added.
"Rajapalayam was once famous for its native dog breed but is now turning notorious for dog bites," said Sadagopan, a resident.