49 Rabies Cases In Delhi This Year, Over 65,000 Stray Dogs Sterilised In 6 Months

A total of 49 cases of rabies have been reported in the national capital, so far this year, while over 65,000 stray dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated over a six-month period, according to the MCD's official data.

The rabies cases were recorded at the MVID Hospital between January and July of this year, while 35,198 animal bite incidents were reported across the capital from January to June, according to official data accessed by PTI.

To address these issues, an equal number of anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) were administered during this period, an official told PTI.

In a bid to control the stray dog population and prevent the spread of rabies, the MCD sterilised and immunised 65,031 stray dogs between January 25 and June 25 this year.

In comparison, the civic body has projected that 97,994 dogs will be sterilised and vaccinated between April 2024 and December 2025. This follows previous years where 79,959 dogs were sterilised in 2023-2024, and 59,076 in 2022-2023, indicating a consistent increase in efforts.

Officials noted that the civic body is focused on enhancing the efficiency and capacity of the sterilisation network amid rising public concerns over stray dog attacks in various parts of the city.

To further tackle the issue, the MCD's standing committee formed a subcommittee earlier this month to focus exclusively on stray dog management. The subcommittee held its first meeting on Thursday, during which it decided to re-engage the NGOs currently involved in the sterilisation programme and enlist more capable organisations.

An intensive month-long sterilisation drive is also being planned, officials said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also chaired a separate meeting on the issue of stray animals and directed officials to treat the matter not merely as an administrative task but as a social responsibility.

She stressed the need for a comprehensive and humane approach to address the crisis.

"The chief minister instructed that animal lovers, experts, and social organisations be consulted, and their suggestions incorporated into the policy-making process," stated a post from the Chief Minister's Office on X.

These latest measures come amid growing public fear over frequent dog bite incidents in the capital.

Currently, 20 sterilisation centres are operational in Delhi, managed by registered NGOs. These centres carry out surgical sterilisation and administer anti-rabies vaccinations before releasing the animals back to their original locations, according to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)