450 given rabies shots in Indian village after cow suspected of rabies dies

Health authorities in the Gorakhpur district of India’s Uttar Pradesh state have given rabies vaccinations to 450 people who drank a preparation made from the milk of a cow suspected of having been infected, after the animal died.

The vaccinations followed suspicion that the cow had been bitten by a stray dog before it died, Hiru News reported, citing Indian media. The health department ran an immunisation camp in Dadi Khas village.

About 50 people were vaccinated at a community health centre, and a further 400 at the camp held the following day — 450 in total.

The cow’s milk had also been supplied to two shops and to several households, causing alarm among residents of Dadi Khas and the neighbouring village of Govindpur.

The animal’s owner said it had appeared unwell for a day or two before its condition worsened. After consulting several people including two private veterinarians, the owner said, the cow began behaving abnormally and making unusual sounds before dying on Tuesday evening.

Veterinarians said the symptoms raised a suspicion of rabies but that the disease cannot be confirmed from symptoms alone, and that a veterinary examination and laboratory testing would be required.

Health officials stressed that transmission of rabies through drinking milk has not been established. They advised anyone who suspects contact with the saliva of an infected animal, or other material carrying a risk, to seek medical advice promptly so that a decision on vaccination can be made. Residents were also told to boil milk thoroughly before drinking it and to avoid raw milk.

A note on sourcing and location: Hiru’s English headline and URL do not name a country, and the story has circulated in Sri Lanka without one. The event took place in India, not Sri Lanka. Hiru credits Indian media reports; this desk found no verified newsroom on its list carrying its own account of the incident, so the article rests on the single source above.

Source: 450 vaccinated after drinking milk from a cow suspected of having rabies — Hiru News, October 23 (Sinhala).