Daijiworld Media Network – Hosur
Hosur, Jul 11: A wave of panic gripped Hosur on Thursday following the sudden death of a 24-year-old man initially suspected to have succumbed to rabies. However, health officials have clarified that the young man died due to a serious heart condition, not rabies.
The deceased, V Edwin, a private firm employee and resident of Thinnur village near Thalli in Krishnagiri district, had no confirmed history of animal bites, though rabies concerns surfaced after a private hospital and a local primary health centre (PHC) recorded his symptoms as "suspected rabies."
District Collector C Dinesh Kumar dismissed the rabies speculation but said advanced tests would still be conducted to rule it out entirely.
Edwin first sought treatment at the Kakkadhasam PHC around 3:30 pm on Wednesday, complaining of throat pain, body ache, and fever. Later in the evening, he visited a private hospital in Thalli, where he experienced breathing difficulties. The hospital noted the case as suspected rabies despite no clear evidence of a dog bite. He was administered IV fluids and discharged.
He then went to the Thalli PHC, where he was nebulised. The attending doctor again marked the case as suspected rabies, this time stating a dog bite history, and referred him to the Krishnagiri Government Hospital in Hosur. Tragically, Edwin died shortly after being admitted, without responding to treatment.
District Health Officer Dr G Ramesh Kumar stated that an ECG from the Thalli hospital revealed Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) and Pulmonary Edema—serious heart conditions often leading to sudden collapse. An autopsy later confirmed these findings.
Still, as a precaution, Edwin’s biological samples will be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru, for RT-PCR testing to conclusively rule out rabies. Meanwhile, nearly 20 individuals—including police personnel, health staff, and media—who had come in close contact with Edwin’s body, were administered Anti-Rabies Vaccines on Thursday morning at Hosur GH.
Sources in the health department indicated that disciplinary action may be taken against the doctor at Thalli PHC for incorrectly diagnosing the case as rabies without sufficient basis.