A total of 74,550 animal bite incidents, including those involving strays and pet animals, have been recorded between January and May this year in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar, the district bordering Delhi. Stray dogs account for the majority of these attacks.
According to the latest figures released by the health department, 52,714 people were bitten by stray dogs, while pet dogs were responsible for 16,474 bite cases. The remaining incidents include 3,833 attacks by monkeys and 1,179 by cats.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Tikam Singh confirmed the spike in incidents and said the health department was actively working with the chief veterinary officer and the Noida Authority to identify hotspots across the district.
“We have started the process of identifying hotspots in the district in collaboration with the chief vigilance officer and Noida Authority. Through hotspots, we are working towards prevention and control,” he said.
On average, the district, which falls in the National Capital Region, is witnessing approximately 15,000 animal bite cases per month, translating to nearly 500 cases per day.
Some cases of dog bites have been captured on CCTVs where dogs can be seen attacking children as well as adults. All the attacks seemed unprovoked.
