India, Aug. 5 -- In a significant achievement for public health and animal welfare, the number of rabies-infected stray dogs in the city has dropped sharply over the past few years, according to data released by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)'s Health department.

The data from 2018 till August 4, 2025 show a decline in the number of suspected as well as confirmed rabies cases. While 373 suspected rabies cases were reported in 2018, only 19 cases have been recorded so far in 2025. Similarly, confirmed rabies cases reduced from 220 in 2018 to just 3 in the current year.

Health officials from the civic body confirmed that the overall positivity rate - the percentage of suspected dogs that tested positive for rabies - has also decreas...