Goat bitten by rabid dog sacrificed, meat served to 400 villagers in Chhattisgarh's Surguja; health camp ordered amid fear of infection

RAIPUR: Panic has gripped Chhattisgarh's Sarganwa village in Surguja district after a goat, allegedly bitten by a rabies-infected dog, was sacrificed during a local ritual and its meat was served to around 400 villagers. The incident took place on Dec 28 during 'Nikali Puja,' a traditional ceremony held once in three years in the village to worship local deities, in which goat sacrifice is customary. This year, villager Ajit Kumar Yadav said, 12–15 goats were sacrificed and the meat distributed as part of a community feast. Among these animals was a goat that, according to locals, had earlier been bitten by a “mad dog” suspected to be infected with rabies. Them eat was distributed among 400 people. "Officers and panchayat told us 'paka ke khaye ho to kuch nahi hoga' (nothing will happen if the meat was cooked), but what if something happens?" villager Tapan Mistri asked. Once word spread that one of the sacrificed goats had been bitten by a rabid dog, fear of possible rabies infection swept through the village, as it was under treatment. Villagers have demanded strict action and immediate medical intervention.Now, health department is setting up camp for check-ups. Only men eat the meat offered during this puja as prasad, so the affected group is believed to be almost entirely adult male villagers, said locals. The goat was purchased from a villager, Nanhhu Rajwade, by village sarpanch Narayan Prasad and deputy sarpanch Krishna Singh, and later sacrificed as part of the ritual.Initially, residents alleged that they were not told the goat had been bitten by a suspected rabid dog. As panic grew, the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch informed the health authorities about the incident.‘Rabies unlikely from cooked meat,’ says vetAmid the fear, a local vet has tried to calm nerves. Dr Chandu Mishra explained that rabies is typically transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, usually via bites. He said that if a goat bitten by a rabies-infected dog is later slaughtered and its meat is properly cooked at high temperatures, the rabies virus does not normally survive.According to him, the risk of rabies infection from eating thoroughly cooked meat of such an animal is very low, but he added that, as a precaution, medical examination of those who consumed the meat is advisable.Health department to hold camp on Dec 31After the matter reached the district administration, the health department was directed to intervene.Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr P S Marko said that the sarpanch and some villagers had met health officials and raised their concerns. Following this, instructions have been issued to set up a medical camp in the village.A health camp will be organised in Sarganwa on Dec 31, where villagers who consumed the meat will be examined and advised on further treatment or prophylaxis, if required. For now, fear and anger coexist in the village: while medical experts say the risk of rabies from cooked meat is minimal, residents are demanding accountability from local leaders for allowing a potentially infected animal to be used in a community feast in the first place.