Salem: It was a bizarre day for the people of Salem on Friday, as 62 persons suffered dog bites on a single day when a stray dog went amok here. The menacing creature was later beaten to death by members of the public.
The dog which was loitering in Kichipalayam area this morning, suddenly went crazy as it began to chase and attack pedestrians passing by. It also pounced on members of the public who in turn tried to shoe out the dog from the area. But the dog in a fierce mood went from one adjacent locality to another and bit as many as 62 persons in all including in Kalarampatti, Gandhi Mahan Street, Kurinji Nagar, Narayanan Nagar and Pachapatti.
The dog biting so many people within few hours stirred up a serious public health issue in no time with all the 62 persons who suffered the dog-bite being rushed to the Mohan Kumaramangalam government general hospital here. They were all administered anti-rabies vaccine and 60 of them were discharged and allowed to go back home. Two others who suffered serious multiple bites have alone been admitted as in-patients in the hospital.
The hospital dean said it had adequate stocks of the anti-rabies vaccine and they were ready to meet any such emergency. All the affected patients as a precautionary measure were administered the vaccine and other measures to prevent the spread of rabies were also being taken, the dean said.
Even as a large crowd gathered before the GH, infuriated members of the public demanded that the Salem municipal corporation should take necessary steps immediately to stop the menace of stray dogs going on a biting spree as the number of such unhealthy canine has rapidly gone up in the steel town.
