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Ludhiana: 7 of Jagroan family show rabies-like symptoms, sent to PGI for testing
Health department says referral is precautionary and area survey finds no fresh dog-bite incidents, adding that only two members had bite history
A family of seven in Jagroan was referred to PGI Chandigarh on Thursday after showing suspected symptoms of rabies, prompting health officials to launch precautionary investigations.
The migrant family, which resides in a junkyard on the outskirts of Jagroan, displayed signs such as hypersalivation and speech difficulties, health officials said. Those affected include a 37-year-old man, his wife, their three children, and two children of the man’s sister.
According to senior medical officer, CHC Hatoor, Dr Aman Sharma, the man was bitten by a dog nearly a year ago, while one of his children sustained a bite from the family’s pet puppy three days back.
“The family was referred to PGI to rule out rabies, as testing is only available in Chandigarh or Amritsar,” Dr Sharma said. Health officials immediately surveyed the area and confirmed that the puppy was healthy, with no other dog bite incidents reported recently. He stressed that rabies does not spread from person to person, noting that only bitten individuals are at risk. “It could well be a case of food poisoning or contamination,” he added.
The family is reportedly stable, eating and drinking normally, while test results are expected by Friday, Dr Aman said. Dr Ramandeep Kaur, civil surgeon, Ludhiana, reiterated that the situation is precautionary. “There is no cause for panic. Rabies spreads only through bites. The father was bitten long ago and the child recently. Others were not bitten. We are simply confirming that this is not rabies,” she said.
State nodal officer for dog bites, Arshdeep Kaur, echoed the assessment, emphasising that reports are pending. Ludhiana has recorded 31,054 dog bite cases in 2024 and 30,843 cases till October 2025.
Punjab reported eight rabies deaths last year, despite the disease being 100% preventable. Officials noted that two victims died due to lack of timely administration of Anti-Rabies Serum (ARS), despite its availability.
Rabies is a zoonotic viral infection transmitted through the saliva of infected animals.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is invariably fatal. Grade-2 dog bites involve minor skin contact requiring only vaccination, while grade-3 bites necessitate both ARS and vaccination. Authorities also highlighted that low public awareness, particularly among economically disadvantaged groups, remains a critical concern.
Dr Sharma urged residents to remain vigilant and seek immediate medical attention in case of any dog bite, emphasising that timely treatment is the key to preventing rabies fatalities.
