A five-year-old boy from Tamil Nadu, Harith, has died in Kannur, Kerala, after being bitten by a stray dog last month, despite receiving anti-rabies vaccinations. The incident has sparked public concern amidst a surge in stray dog attacks reported across Kannur.

Harith was bitten on May 31 while playing near his house in Payyambalam. The dog bit him on his right eye and leg. Following the attack, he was immediately taken to the Kannur District Hospital, where he received three doses of the anti-rabies vaccine. He later traveled to his native village in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, before his final dose.

Unfortunately, Harith began to show symptoms of rabies, including fever, and his condition quickly deteriorated. He was then admitted to the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) and was under intensive care for 12 days before succumbing to the disease on Saturday.

Health officials have stated that there is no cure for rabies once symptoms appear. The vaccine's effectiveness depends on several conditions, including the location of the bite. An official from the health department noted that the vaccine requires at least 72 hours to generate antibodies in the body and that bites on fleshier parts of the body have a higher chance of responding to the vaccine. In Harith's case, the bites to his face and head may have allowed the virus to reach the brain more quickly.

This is reportedly the fourth incident of a child dying from a dog bite in Kerala despite receiving vaccination in recent months. In May 2025, a seven-year-old from Kollam died of rabies after a dog bite, and in April 2025, a six-year-old girl from Malappuram district also died of rabies despite vaccination. Earlier in May, a 17-year-old student from Alappuzha died of suspected rabies, though he had not been vaccinated.

In the past five years, 102 people in Kerala have died from rabies, with 20 of those cases occurring in individuals who had been vaccinated. Health officials emphasize the importance of immediate wound cleaning with soap and water after a dog bite, followed by prompt vaccination at the nearest hospital.