Punjab sees surge in dog bite cases, 1.5 lakh in 1st 6 months

Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala among the worst-hit districts, reporting one-third of the cases

- Karam Prakash

With an average of around 840 dog bite cases reported daily, Punjab has witnessed a sharp increase in incidents this year.

In the first six months of 2025, the state has recorded over 1.5 lakh dog bite cases, with Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Patiala being as the worst-affected districts, accounting for nearly 36% or 53,432 dog bite cases.

Last year, the state reported a total of 2.13 lakh dog bite cases.

The data, accessed by HT, has revealed a steady jump in cases over the past few years. From 1.10 lakh cases reported in 2020, the number of dog bite cases has gone up to 2.13 lakh in 2024, a rise of more than 1 lakh in four years.

Three deaths have been reported this year. Last month, a mother-daughter duo died of rabies in Pathankot, and on July 17, a 32-year-old man succumbed in Patiala after being bitten by a stray dog.

Dr Sumeet Singh, district nodal officer of the National Rabies Control Programme, said that rabies is 100% fatal.