Rabies Claims Life of Kerala Woman Known for Feeding Stray Dogs

Amid concerns regarding the proliferation of stray dogs, Kerala has also witnessed an increase in reported rabies cases.

The most recent fatality is a 49-year-old woman, Stephin V Pereira, known for her dedication to feeding and caring for stray dogs. Tragically, Pereira succumbed to rabies last Sunday due to sustaining scratches from a dog while carrying out her compassionate act.

Hailing from the coastal village of Anchuthengu, located approximately 20 km west of Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district, Pereira exhibited symptoms of rabies on June 9 while tending to her brother at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

When doctors inquired about the potential causes of her condition, she disclosed that one of the stray dogs she had been feeding had scratched her hand.

Despite her prompt admission for treatment, Pereira passed away on Sunday evening. The funeral was subsequently conducted. Pereira’s brother, Charles, resides alone in their ancestral house in Anjuthengu. He was admitted to the hospital on June 7. Henry, Ferion, and the late Mathew are also among her other siblings.