Budaun, Uttar Pradesh — What began as a customary funeral gathering in Piprauli village soon escalated into a public health scare, after rumours of rabies exposure led nearly 200 villagers to seek anti-rabies vaccination as a precaution.
The concern emerged following a terahvi ceremony, where mourners were served a traditional meal that included raita. Days later, villagers learned that the buffalo whose milk had been used to prepare the curd had fallen seriously ill and died. The animal had reportedly been bitten by a stray dog earlier, triggering fears that it may have been infected with rabies.
As word spread through the village, anxiety mounted rapidly. Residents, worried that the rabies virus could be transmitted through food, flocked to nearby government hospitals and community health centres, requesting immediate vaccination. Health facilities reported unusually long queues as villagers sought reassurance and preventive care.
District health officials responded swiftly, clarifying that the vaccinations were administered out of caution, not due to any confirmed risk.
“Rabies spreads through the bite or saliva of an infected animal entering open wounds or mucous membranes,” a senior health official explained. “There is no medical or scientific evidence that rabies can be transmitted through boiled milk, curd, or cooked food.”
Officials further noted that the milk used had been boiled before consumption, and the fermentation process involved in making curd significantly reduces any theoretical viral presence. “Rabies virus is highly sensitive to heat. From a clinical perspective, the risk here is negligible,” the official added.
Nevertheless, authorities opted to vaccinate all concerned villagers to prevent panic and ensure psychological reassurance. “Public health decisions are not only about medical risk but also about public confidence,” another official said.
Medical teams monitored the vaccinated individuals and conducted awareness sessions to dispel myths surrounding rabies transmission. No symptoms of rabies have been reported so far, and officials confirmed that the situation remains under control.
Experts reiterated that while rabies is almost always fatal if untreated, it does not spread through food or dairy products. “Such incidents underline the urgent need for community education on zoonotic diseases and misinformation,” a government epidemiologist observed.
In response, district authorities have intensified stray dog surveillance and vaccination drives in surrounding villages to prevent future scares. While the panic has subsided, the episode serves as a reminder of how quickly fear can spread in the absence of accurate health information.
