Over 200 administered anti-rabies shots in Uttar Pradesh after consuming ‘raita’ using milk of dog bitten buffalo

The buffalo died on December 26, after which panic spread in the village due to the fear of infection.

Lucknow: Scores of residents of a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district were administered anti-rabies shots after it was learnt that the 'raita' that they had consumed was made with curd using milk of a buffalo that died after being bitten by a rabid dog.

According to reports, as many as 200 residents of Piproul Pukhta village were given anti-rabies shots at the Community Health Centre in Ujhani and other private hospitals on Saturday.

The health officials said people had started making a beeline before the health centre since early morning and special counters had to be set up, reports said.

The locals said that a ‘terahwain bhoj’ (a community feast on the 13^th day of death) was organised a few days ago in the village in which the ‘raita’ served was made from milk of a suspected rabies-hit buffalo.

The buffalo died from suspected rabies,triggering panic among people who had consumed the ‘raita’ and. They apprehended that they too could be affected by the deadly disease.

The veterinary doctors said rabies was usually not transmitted if the milk was properly boiled and that the disease spread through bites and scratches of an infected animal.

A Budaon health official said that whoever reached the centre for the anti-rabies shots, was given the same as a preventive measure.