Thiruvananthapuram: A seven-year-old girl from Pathanapuram has died after contracting rabies, despite having received all three doses of the anti-rabies vaccine. Niya Faisal from Kunnikode was under treatment in the emergency wing of the Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

The child was bitten by a stray dog on April 8 while standing in front of her house. Her mother told the media that they immediately rushed her to the nearest health centre and later to the taluk hospital. The wound was cleaned and the child was given the vaccine.

However, she developed a fever on April 29. She was first taken to the taluk hospital again and later referred to SAT Hospital. According to medical reports, the dog bite had affected a nerve, allowing the rabies virus to spread to her brain through the bloodstream.

"There were signs of rabies infection when the child was admitted to SAT. We have provided all possible treatment to her. However, we all know the complexity of the infection. It is truly unfortunate that the child could not be saved," SAT Hospital officials said in a press conference on Monday.

This is the third rabies-related child death reported in Kerala within a month. Earlier, 13-year-old Bhagyalakshmi from Pullad in Pathanamthitta and six-year-old Ziya Faris from Thenhipalam in Malappuram also succumbed to the infection.

According to the state health department, 22 people in Kerala have died of rabies since 2021 despite receiving the vaccine. Following the admission of the seven-year-old, SAT superintendent Dr S Bindu had said the vaccine could not be blamed for the tragic outcome. The effectiveness of the vaccine depends on the severity of the wound and the rate of viral transmission, she added.