Nearly 200 U.P. villagers get rabies shots after consuming curd from buffalo that died after dog bite

Nearly 200 residents of Piprauli village in Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh were vaccinated against rabies as a precaution after they discovered that the raita (a curd-based dish) they consumed at the funeral was made from the milk of a buffalo that died after being bitten by a dog.

According to the villagers, a funeral ceremony was held in the village where they made raita on December 23. It was later revealed that the buffalo whose milk was used to make the dish had been bitten by a dog a few days ago.

After the buffalo died on December 26, there was panic in the village due to fear of infection.

The villagers reached the Ujhani community health center and got vaccinated.

Chief Health Officer Dr Rameshwar Mishra said on Sunday that they received information that a buffalo in the village was bitten by a rabid dog and died due to signs of rabies.

Villagers were reported to have consumed ‘infected’ raaita. As a precaution, it is recommended that everyone be vaccinated against rabies.

Mishra said, “Prevention is better than cure. Everyone who had a suspicion was vaccinated against rabies. Normally there is no risk of rabies after boiling milk, but the vaccine was done to prevent any potential risk.” he said.

According to the health directorate, no disease has spread in the village so far and the situation is completely normal.

The CMO also said that all those who came for rabies vaccination were given immediate injection at Ujhani Community Health Centre. For this purpose, the primary health center/community center was kept open on both Saturdays and Sundays.

He said the village was being monitored as a precaution to prevent the spread of any rumors or panic.

Another villager Dharmpal said that the buffalo was bitten by a dog, due to which it fell ill and later died. The fear of infection arose because the ‘raaita’ was made from the milk of the same buffalo and so they got the rabies vaccine.