Delhi’s health administration has formally classified human rabies as an epidemic disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, signalling a major escalation in the capital’s response to a preventable yet deadly public-health threat.
Under the new legal framework, the following measures will come into force:
- Mandatory reporting of all animal bite cases to designated health facilities
- Compulsory administration of post-exposure prophylaxis within 24 hours of exposure
- Deployment of rapid-response medical teams in identified high-risk zones
- Mass vaccination of stray dogs and cats in coordination with municipal and veterinary authorities
- Allocation of dedicated funds for rabies diagnostics, vaccines, and treatment infrastructure
- Legal obligation on public and private healthcare providers to follow national treatment protocols, with penalties for non-compliance
- Centralised data collection to map rabies hotspots and guide resource deployment
- Intensified public awareness campaigns on bite reporting, wound care, and early treatment
Health officials say the measures will significantly improve surveillance and response times, reducing gaps in treatment that often prove fatal. Alongside medical interventions, educational outreach through schools and community centres will reinforce prevention practices at the community level.
By treating rabies as an epidemic rather than a routine health issue, Delhi aims to achieve zero human rabies deaths and establish a replicable model for other states grappling with the disease.
