Three children in Kerala have died of rabies in the last month even after post-exposure vaccination, raising widespread concern regarding vaccine efficacy and wound care practices. The recent case, that of a seven-year-old girl from Thiruvananthapuram, has raised further scrutiny regarding rabies control measures in the state.

Key Highlights

Three fatalities despite vaccination

• The most recent victim, seven-year-old Niya Faisal, passed away at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram with three anti-rabies shots administered.

• Two other children, five and twelve years old, also died from rabies last April after being vaccinated.

• All three had deep face and hand bite wounds—areas with dense nerves.

Explanation from health department

• Kerala Health Minister Veena George stressed that wound care is of utmost importance: washing with soap and water has the potential to prevent the virus from reaching the nerves.

• She said that quality checks are carried out on all batches of vaccine used in Kerala at the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kasauli.

• A 2022 expert committee report showed that vaccinated individuals developed antibodies as per standards mandated.

Opposition demands accountability

• Opposition leader V D Satheesan also expressed concern regarding frequent rabies fatalities among those who had been vaccinated.

• He said that of 102 rabies fatalities in five years, 20 had been vaccinated and described it as a failure of the health department.

Rabies burden continues in kerala

• Up to May 2, 2025, Kerala has documented 13 rabies fatalities.

• There were 22 confirmed and 4 suspected rabies fatalities in 2024, as reported by the state.

• Over 1.6 lakh vaccine doses have been administered in 2025 to individuals bitten by animals.

Lancet raises public health concerns

• A 2023 article in The Lancet highlighted rabies deaths among vaccinated individuals in Kerala.

• The study cited inadequate awareness of wound care—only 38% of bite victims in six states reported washing wounds properly.

• Rabid dog cases are rising: in 2022, 56% of dog samples tested positive compared to 32% in 2016.

Pre-exposure vaccination recommended

• The 2022 report suggested temporary pre-exposure prophylaxis in Kerala until there is an improvement in dog population control.

• There were more than 200,000 reported dog bites in 2022 with 21 fatalities, twice that of the previous year.

The recent deaths due to rabies in Kerala, even in vaccinated children, highlight the need for improved first-aid education, strict surveillance, and even a change to pre-exposure vaccination regimens. With the state facing increased dog bites and vaccine hesitancy, public health must be addressed through education, wound care, and control of dogs.