Patiala, Nov. 26 -- Punjab is witnessing a rise in dog bite cases, with eight people dying of rabies this year - the highest annual toll ever recorded in the state. Rabies, a deadly yet fully preventable zoonotic disease, is almost always transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Without timely wound care and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the infection is 100% fatal. Globally, about 96% of human rabies deaths are linked to dog bites.

While India reported 54 human rabies deaths in 2024 - with Maharashtra topping the list at 14 - Punjab and Haryana had reported none last year. Himachal Pradesh recorded three, according to Union government data. Dog bite cases in Punjab have more than doubled over five years, rising from 1.1 la...