Another rabies death in Srikakulam

SRIKAKULAM: With a 69-year-old man P Appa Rao dying due to rabies at a local private clinic today, the number of rabies deaths has reached three in the district.Earlier, two deaths including each in Palasa and Itchapuram mandals were reported in the past couple of months even after stringent measures were taken by the officials concerned in terms of making Antiretroviral (ARV) vaccination available at all public health centres and community health centres. However, in the current Rabies case, P Appa Rao of Korlam village of Sompeta mandal was bit by a street dog in March 2011 and the  family members of the patient admitted him into a local private clinic.  When the condition of the patient was deteriorating, the doctors at a private hospital advised his family to admit him to a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam. Even after doctors asked Rao to go for better treatment recently by May end, he postponed the treatment on the grounds of lack of financial sources leading to further deterioration of his health.