58,668 dog bite cases in Ahmedabad in 2022

The city reported 58,668 cases of dog bites in 2022, an increase of 7,457 from the number registered in 2021.

According to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) data, the most bite cases in 2022 were reported in December, when hospitals and urban health centres had registered 5,880 cases.

Sources in the AMC said that in the 2020-2021 period dog bites reduced compared to previous years because of the lockdown.

The data shows that in 2019, hospitals and UHCs reported 65,881 cases of dog bites in the city, which fell to 51,244 in 2020 and further to 50,668 in 2021.

"However, as 2022 was a normal year compared to the previous two years, and cases of dog bites increased," an AMC official said. However, he said that the 2022 figure is still lower than the 2019 figure.

Civic body officials said the most dog bites are registered in the November-February period every year as females give birth in this season and dogs tend to be more aggressive to protect their puppies.

The official said that people also need to be more aware about precautionary rabies vaccines.