450 Get Anti-Rabies Shots After Cow Dies: Can Rabies Spread Through Milk?

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Villagers in Dadi Khas, in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district, queued for anti-rabies shots this week after a cow in the village died. Around 450 people in Dadi Khas and neighbouring Govindpur were vaccinated because they had consumed charanamrit, a milk-based offering, made with the animal's milk. The question now doing the rounds is whether rabies can spread through milk and dairy products. The short answer from health agencies is no, with one caveat worth knowing.

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What Happened In Gorakhpur

The cow had reportedly been unwell for a day or two and behaving abnormally before it died. Local veterinarians suspected a stray dog had bitten it, but rabies was not confirmed. Its milk went into charanamrit prepared during Durga Puja and was also supplied to two shops and several households.

The health department vaccinated about 50 people at a community health centre on 20th October and another 400 at a camp in Dadi Khas, in Gola block the next day. The health officials described the move as a precaution. A local veterinarian noted that symptoms alone cannot confirm rabies, and that drinking milk is not an established route of transmission.

Such scares are not new. In Budaun, also in Uttar Pradesh, nearly 200 villagers were vaccinated after eating raita made from the milk of a buffalo that died after a dog bite.

Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh: Around 450 people in Dadi Khas and Govindpur received anti-rabies vaccinations after consuming charanamrit prepared from a cow’s milk during Durga Puja. The cow, owned by Nawami Yadav, reportedly showed unusual behaviour before dying on Tuesday after bitten by Stray dog. Health teams launched a precautionary vaccination drive, although officials said boiling the milk likely inactivated the virus. The WHO says there is no evidence that rabies is transmitted through milk.

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Can Rabies Spread Through Milk Or Dairy Products?

India's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says there is no laboratory or epidemiological evidence that rabies spreads through milk or milk products, so post-exposure vaccination is not required for consuming them. It also reports no evidence-based cases of human rabies from drinking milk, including breast milk, or eating cooked meat.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is more cautious in its wording. It says transmission through unpasteurised milk is theoretically possible, yet no human has ever been reported to develop rabies this way. The virus is inactivated by temperatures below those used for cooking and pasteurisation, so drinking pasteurised milk from a rabid animal is not a reason for vaccination. The theoretical risk disappears when dairy products are pasteurised before consumption.

In practice, that means milk that has been properly boiled or pasteurised carries no known risk. The NCDC still strongly discourages consuming the milk or meat of a rabid animal.

Where The Real Risk Lies

Rabies spreads mainly through the saliva of an infected animal, usually via a bite. It can also enter through broken skin or the eyes, nose or mouth. Dogs account for up to 99 per cent of human cases, according to the WHO, and India accounts for nearly one-third of global rabies deaths. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal, yet it is preventable if treatment starts early.

So the people who may need attention are less those who had the milk than anyone who handled the sick cow and may have touched its saliva, for example through a cut on the hand. In a past US case, the CDC noted that four people received vaccination because of exposure to a rabid cow's saliva. Anyone in that position should speak to a doctor.

What To Do After A Bite Or Scratch

Wash the wound with soap under running water for 15 minutes, disinfect it and go to hospital immediately for the full course of injections. Do not apply home remedies such as chilli, mud or cow dung. Deep bites, multiple wounds or bites from suspected rabid animals also need rabies immunoglobulin on the first day.

Bottomline

By NCDC guidance, the milk itself did not call for the 450 shots in Gorakhpur. The lesson is simpler. Rabies travels by saliva, not through the dairy shelf. Boil milk, avoid anything from a sick animal, and treat every dog bite as an emergency.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.