In the village of Dari Haas, which belongs to the Gola block in the Gorkhapur district, 450 people who consumed chanmari made from cow's milk received a rabies vaccination during the Durga Puja celebration. This cow had been bitten by a stray dog. Following the animal's death, anxiety among residents increased regarding the risk of rabies infection.
In response, the health department organized a vaccination campaign in the village on Wednesday. Previously, 50 people had already sought vaccination at the public medical center on Tuesday, and another 400 people were vaccinated on Wednesday.
The milk from this cow was also supplied to some homes and shops in the village, which heightened public concern. The health department strongly recommended that residents undergo vaccination according to medical advice. A veterinarian suggested the possibility of rabies in the cow, although no official confirmation had been obtained.
A shepherd from Dari Haas village, Navmi Yadav, did not know exactly when the stray dog bit the cow. He regularly delivered milk to several shops and homes. One or two days before the incident, the cow's condition began to deteriorate, but on Tuesday, her health sharply declined. The shepherd showed the animal to a private veterinarian as well as doctors from the Dari Haas Veterinary Hospital. According to the shepherd, the doctors suspected the animal had been bitten by a dog. Shortly after this, the cow started barking, and she died on Tuesday evening.
When the deterioration of the cow's health and its unusual behavior became known, residents of Dari and Govindpur villages, who consumed chanmari made from its milk during Durga Puja, became worried. As a precaution, they began receiving anti-rabies vaccines. On Wednesday, October 21, a team from the health department arrived in Dari village from the public medical center. Under the guidance of pharmacist Siddharth Singh, the team conducted a vaccination drive. The team included medical personnel such as Arshad, Sonu Srivastava, Priyanka, and Ankita. Due to the large number of rural residents who came, the vaccination process proceeded continuously. By the evening of Wednesday, October 21, 400 people had been vaccinated, and previously, about 50 people had already received the vaccine at the CHC on Tuesday.
Affected individuals must receive the anti-rabies vaccine according to prescribed medical recommendations. According to the standard intramuscular schedule, subsequent doses are given on the third, seventh, fourteenth, and twenty-eighth day after the first dose. The need for a booster dose after 90 days was also mentioned.
Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Gorkhapur, stated that the cow in the Gola block village was bitten by a dog. Its milk was used to prepare chanmari during Durga Puja, and many people drank it. The cow died, causing fear among the people. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, 450 people received the anti-rabies vaccine. He emphasized that there is no cause for fear because the milk could have been boiled before preparing the yogurt and then added to the chanmari. Boiling destroys the virus. Vaccination is being carried out due to public apprehension.