Delhi govt. to declare rabies notifiable disease to prevent deaths, improve surveillance

Will guarantee timely reporting of cases, says Singh; vaccination facilities to beryllium boosted: govt.; determination follows orders by SC aft it took cognisance of rabies deaths, including that of a 6-year-old girl

The Delhi authorities is acceptable to state rabies a notifiable illness to fortify illness surveillance, guarantee timely reporting and forestall rabies-related deaths, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said connected Sunday.

Underlining that rabies is wholly preventable, Mr. Singh told the media that the determination volition assistance guarantee aboriginal detection and stronger prevention measures. “This notification is an important measurement towards our extremity of zero quality deaths from rabies successful Delhi,” helium said, asserting that nary decease owed to rabies is acceptable.

“Once notified, each authorities and backstage wellness facilities, including aesculapian colleges and idiosyncratic practitioners, volition beryllium required to study suspected, probable and confirmed cases of quality rabies to the wellness authorities concerned,” Mr. Singh said.

Rabies, though astir 100% fatal erstwhile symptoms appear, tin beryllium prevented done timely aesculapian intervention. Early reporting plays a important relation successful redeeming lives and preventing the dispersed of the disease.

Boosting facilities

As per the government, anti-rabies vaccines are presently disposable astatine 59 wellness facilities crossed 11 districts of Delhi portion anti-rabies serum (rabies immunoglobulin) is being provided astatine 33 designated hospitals and wellness facilities. The authorities is successful the process of finalising the State Action Plan for Rabies Elimination successful coordination with section bodies, the Animal Husbandry Department, and different stakeholders. “The authorities is besides strengthening rabies vaccination facilities for humans arsenic good arsenic dogs and different animals,” according to a statement.

The projected notification volition instrumentality effect instantly upon issuance and stay successful effect until further notice.

Mandatory reporting volition assistance authorities way illness trends, amended coordination betwixt quality and carnal wellness systems and instrumentality targeted preventive measures successful high-risk areas.

SC directions

The determination comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s directions connected handling stray dogs aft the tribunal took suo motu cognisance of dog-bite incidents and rabies-related deaths, including that of a six-year-old girl. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi presently does not person an authoritative number of the fig of dogs. However, information amusement that betwixt April and September 2025, 54,623 stray dogs were vaccinated. As of July 2025, Delhi recorded 26,334 canine wound cases and 26 confirmed rabies cases.