Patiala, Dec. 3 -- The Punjab health department has ordered a probe after discovering that 173 victims of grade-3 dog bites were not administered the mandatory anti-rabies serum (ARS). The department has sought explanations from six districts wherein the medication omission happened.

According to health officials, a grade-2 dog bite involves dog's teeth making contact with the skin without laceration, resulting in marks, scrapes or minor bruising. It requires only anti-rabies vaccines. However, grade-3 bites involve one or multiple transdermal bites or contamination of mucous membranes with saliva and, therefore, required ARS. This year, two of the eight rabies-related deaths occurred because the victims were allegedly not administered t...