Gorakhpur:
Around 450 people who consumed 'charanamrit' prepared from a cow's milk during Durga Puja in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district have received anti-rabies vaccine after the animal died amid suspicions that it had been bitten by a stray dog, officials said on Thursday.
The health department organised a vaccination camp in Dadi Khas village in Gola block on Wednesday following the incident.
While around 50 people received the vaccine at a community health centre (CHC) on Tuesday, another 400 were vaccinated during Wednesday's camp, the officials said.
The cow's milk had also been supplied to two shops and several households, triggering concern among residents of Dadi Khas and neighbouring Govindpur village.
The cow's owner, Navami Yadav, said the animal had appeared unwell for one or two days before its condition deteriorated on Tuesday. He consulted private veterinarians Bechan Singh and Hardev Yadav, as well as a doctor at the Dadi Khas veterinary hospital.
The veterinarians suspected that the cow might have been bitten by a dog, he said, adding that the animal subsequently began behaving abnormally and barking before dying on Tuesday evening.
The incident prompted devotees who had consumed the 'charanamrit' during Durga Puja to seek vaccination as a precaution.
A health department team led by pharmacist Siddharth Singh reached the village on Wednesday and administered vaccines at the camp. Arshad, Sonu Srivastava, Priyanka and Ankita were among the team members.
CHC in-charge Amarendra Thakur advised people concerned to consult medical professionals to determine whether vaccination was necessary and follow the prescribed schedule.
He said arrangements would be made at the health centre to ensure the timely availability of vaccines.
The CHC in-charge also advised people to boil milk thoroughly before consumption and avoid drinking it raw.
Veterinarian Siddiqui, posted in Dadi, said the cow's symptoms raised suspicion of rabies, but symptoms alone could not confirm the disease. Veterinary assessment and appropriate testing were required to establish the cause, he added.
Rabies transmission through drinking milk alone is not an established route of infection. However, people concerned about possible exposure to saliva or other potentially infectious material should promptly seek medical assessment to determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis is required, he said.
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