Government to declare human rabies as notifiable disease

The Delhi Government is all set to declare human rabies as a notifiable disease in the national Capital under the Epidemic Diseases Act in an effort to strengthen surveillance and ensure timely treatment.

“This is an important step toward our goal of zero human deaths from rabies in Delhi,” said Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh.

On notification, all Government and private health facilities, including medical colleges and individual practitioners, will be required to report suspected, probable, and confirmed cases of human rabies to the concerned health authorities, said an official statement.

The move aims to strengthen disease surveillance, ensure timely reporting of cases, and enable swift public health action to prevent the spread of rabies, it said, adding the government is also further strengthening rabies vaccination facilities for humans as well as dogs and other animals.

The Delhi Government is in the process of finalising the State Action Plan for Rabies Elimination (SAPRE) in coordination with local bodies, the Animal Husbandry Department and other stakeholders. The move comes amid a row over the Supreme Court’s order on handling stray dogs after it took cognisance of reports on stray dog attacks on people and rabies-related deaths.

The apex court in November directed the removal of all stray dogs from railway stations, schools, hospitals, bus stops and other public areas, and their relocation to “designated shelters” after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules.

However, dog lovers, experts and activists are opposing it, saying the “unscientific” approach will weaken rabies-control efforts, destabilise urban ecosystems and disproportionately affect low-income and underserved communities.

“Declaring rabies as a notifiable disease is a key step toward achieving the goal of zero human deaths due to dog-mediated rabies. The Government is also further strengthening rabies vaccination facilities for humans as well as dogs and other animals,” the official statement said.

To ensure accessible treatment across the city, anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) is currently being provided at 59 health facilities across all 11 districts of Delhi, while anti-rabies serum (RIG) is available at 33 designated health facilities and hospitals in the national Capital.

Mandatory notification will help authorities track disease trends, improve coordination between human and animal health systems, and implement targeted preventive measures in high-risk areas.

“Rabies is a preventable disease, and no death due to rabies is acceptable. Declaring human rabies as a notifiable disease will strengthen surveillance, improve early detection, and ensure timely treatment,” Singh said.

The proposed notification will come into force immediately after issuance and will remain applicable until further orders. Detailed guidelines for reporting and coordination will be shared with all concerned departments and health institutions.