Timely rabies vaccination key: Experts

Rabies is a viral disease with 100% mortality. It is a zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans, and the majority of human deaths caused by rabies are attributed to dog bites, accounting for over 96% of fatalities, according to studies.

- Rhythma Kaul

According to data provided by the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy in Parliament on April I, Delhi recorded 6,691 dog bite cases in 2022, 17,874 cases in 2023, 25,210 cases in 2024 and 3,196 in January 2025 alone. Delhi, however, has not recorded a single rabies death since 2022, according to the data. To be sure, there are other data sources that cite higher numbers.

Not all dog bites cause rabies; to doso, the dog would have to be infected (and those that are die within a week).