Rabies scare grips Gorakhpur village after dog bite kills cow, 'contaminates' temple prasad

Rabies

A rabies scare has gripped a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, prompting a mass rush for preventive vaccinations after residents consumed a religious offering made from the milk of a cow that later died, suspected to have been infected by a dog bite.

For four days, more than a hundred residents of Ramdeeh village have been flocking to a local health centre in a state of alarm. The trigger was the death of a village cow last Saturday evening, which a veterinarian had earlier suggested was likely suffering from rabies.

The chain of events began roughly a week ago when a cow owned by Dharmendra Gour, a local man working in Gorakhpur, suddenly fell ill. A veterinarian was summoned to examine the animal.

“After examining the cow, the doctor said it appeared to have been bitten by a dog and that the rabies infection had spread through its body,” village pradhan Anil Kumar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The veterinarian recorded a video of the cow for a senior colleague, who confirmed the rabies suspicion. The senior doctor warned that the animal would soon exhibit abnormal behaviour and might not survive. Crucially, he advised that anyone who had consumed the cow’s milk should immediately get anti-rabies injections as a precautionary measure.

It was during a subsequent village meeting that the situation escalated. Residents realised milk from the same cow had been used to prepare ‘chana amrit’, a ceremonial prasad, for two puja ceremonies on October 29 and November 2.

“The milk was added to the prasad because it is considered shubh (auspicious),” Pradhan Anil Kumar explained. The realisation spread panic through the mixed-population village of about 3,000 people.

With the exact timeline of the suspected dog bite unknown, villagers who had consumed the milk or prasad - some as far back as three to six months ago - began rushing to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Uruwa, a few kilometres away.

Dr Jai Prakash Tiwari, the medical officer at the PHC, confirmed the developments as cited by The Indian Express. He stated that around 130 villagers across all age groups have so far received the first dose of the anti-rabies vaccine. None have shown any symptoms of the disease.

Acting on the advice from the veterinarian who examined the cow, locals were following the recommendation to get the rabies vaccine as a precaution, Dr Tiwari stated. All those vaccinated have received the first of the three required doses.
In response to the community’s distress, the Health Department set up a special medical camp in Ramdeeh on Monday. The aim was to counsel families, assess risks and quell the rising fear and confusion.

Dr Tiwari sought to reassure the public, emphasising the lack of evidence for transmission through milk. He noted that while no evidence exists that drinking the milk of such an animal causes rabies, it was also not possible to say with complete certainty that it could never happen.

He further clarified that there was still no laboratory confirmation to prove the cow actually had rabies. The medical camp was actively explaining to residents that they should not panic unnecessarily.

Addressing logistical concerns, Dr Tiwari assured that the PHC maintains a substantial stock of anti-rabies vaccines, as the area reports many dog-bite cases throughout the year. The incident highlights the profound impact of health scares in rural communities, where traditional practices and modern medical advice can suddenly collide, turning an act of faith into a race for preventive care.