Karachi reports 10,000 dog bite cases in first two months of 2025

Karachi has seen a staggering rise in dog bite cases, with over 10,000 cases reported in January and February 2025 alone, according to official statistics.

According to Dr Romana Farhat, head of the rabies clinic at Civil Hospital Karachi, 5,795 cases were treated in the first two months of this year, compared to 3,269 cases during the same period in 2024.

Dr Irfan Siddiqui, emergency in-charge at Jinnah Hospital, said that over 5,000 cases have been reported at the hospital this year, whereas this number was over 3,000 during the corresponding period last year.

Medical experts emphasise the importance of immediate first aid following a dog bite. The affected area should be washed with detergent soap for at least 15 minutes to minimise the risk of infection.

They also urge individuals to complete the anti-rabies vaccine and the full course of preventive injections to avoid serious health complications. Apart from this, at Civil Hospital, 13 cases of cat bites were reported in February, according to Dr Romana Farhat.

Medical experts caution that rabies is not limited to dog bites, as the virus can also be transmitted through the bites of cats, donkeys, and monkeys. They stress the importance of administering the anti-rabies vaccine after bites from these animals as well to prevent infection.