Srinagar, Jul 27 (KNS): The number of dog bite cases is mounting with each passing with official figures revealing that over 2300 persons were bitten in the last four months in the Valley. However, officials said that the Immunoglobulin essential for the severe cases are not sufficiently available.

Official figures available with Kashmir News Service (KNS) said that 2322 people mostly children were bitten from April 1 to till date in the valley. 1491 cases with severe wounds were also among the 2322 cases.

The officials at anti-rabies clinic at Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital said that the patients with severe wounds need Immunoglobulin but that is not sufficiently available at the hospital.

Most of the patients are forces to buy the Immunoglobulin from market due to its scarcity at the hospital, the officials said.

The figure reveal that 754 dog bite cases were reported in July, adding that 389 such cases were witnessed in Srinagar alone. The officials at SMHS said that they attended 48 such patients today (Saturday).

“The number of patients on daily basis varies but at least 30-40 new patients are visiting the hospital on daily basis,” they informed KNS, adding that in totality, they are attending at least 150-200 patients on daily basis including those who come to the hospital for vaccinations.

Last year between April to July, 1555 dog bite cases were reported at the Hospital. However, this year during the same period the cases have mounted by 767 reaching 2322.

From April 2018-May 2019, the number of dog bite cases reported was 6397. “In Srinagar district alone, 4589 pe3ople were bitten by dogs from April 2018-July 2019,” the data added.

The officials dealing with such patients at SMHS told KNS that the rabies cases are 100 per cent fatal and authorities must take the issue seriously so that these patients will not suffer. (KNS)