Tamil Nadu has recorded 2.63 lakh dog bite cases and 17 rabies-related deaths in the first four months of 2026, with Chennai, Salem, Tiruchi, and Dindigul being the most affected districts. The number of dog bite cases has been consistently high, with 62,000 cases reported in January and February, 71,000 in March, and 68,000 in April.

The Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, A. Somasundaram, stated that cases have marginally increased in the state, and emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing rabies.

Health officials are stressing the need for sustained measures to control the stray dog population, strengthen the Animal Birth Control programme, and improve rabies vaccination coverage among dogs.

The Health Department is intensifying defaulter tracing, tracking people who take the first dose of the vaccine to ensure that they complete the course, and is also emphasizing the need for greater awareness on safeguarding children and not leaving them unattended outdoors.

The state's health department will continue to monitor the situation and take necessary measures to control the spread of rabies, with the next steps including intensified vaccination drives and awareness campaigns.