Two family members in Shanghai have died after an attack by a
rabid pet dog.
Fengxian District police yesterday acted swiftly, seizing all
dogs in Wugu Village, where the tragic incident happened, and four
neighboring villages.
Vaccinations were provided for everyone who has come into
contact with people bitten by the dog - and all dog owners in those
villages.
Another member of the double-death family is still in a critical
condition.
The three were attacked by the unlicensed dog on July 3.
According to a member of the family, Di Meifang, the white dog,
after two years of normal behavior, "went crazy" that day.
It first bit owner Di Jianming on the hand, but he has yet to
show any symptoms of rabies.
The dog then fled to a neighboring house and attacked Di's uncle
Di Delin, mother Zhun Zhanxian and grandmother Yao Xiangcui. The
family members killed the dog immediately after the attack.
Di's mother and grandmother went to a private clinic in the
village to have a vaccination injection, apparently performed by a
retired and unlicensed doctor.
On August 9, Di Delin, 64, began to feel uncomfortable and went
to hospital for treatment. On August 12, he developed obvious
rabies symptoms and was sent to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical
Center. He died a day later.
Last Tuesday, Zhu Zhanxian, 60, was hospitalized and died after
three days.
On the same day Zhu died, Yao Xiangcui, 87, developed symptoms
and was yesterday still in a critical state.
(Shanghai Daily September 3, 2007)