Bitten by Dog, Began Barking Months Later: How 15-Year-Old Mirzapur Boy Defied Final-Stage Rabies

A 15-year-old boy from Mirzapur has made what is being described as the first reported recovery in Uttar Pradesh from the final stage of rabies, months after a video of him barking like a dog and unable to drink water went viral on March 16. The boy, identified as Karan, developed the symptoms after being bitten by a dog in December, when he did not receive anti-rabies injections in time. At the peak of his condition, a doctor reportedly told his family to "lock him in a dungeon; he will die in three to four days," leaving his disabled father devastated. Four months later, Karan is completely healthy and back in school, in a recovery being called medically unusual.

How Karan Was Bitten by the Dog

Karan recounted the incident that led to the bite, saying, "On December 8, 2025, my maternal uncle Kanhaiya Lal passed away. His Terahvin (13th-day ritual) was on December 20. I had gone to my uncle's house in Harhua, Varanasi. Anil Kumar's house is in their neighborhood. He is also my maternal uncle by relation. He has a native breed dog. A 5-6 year old child was feeding something to the dog. When I pulled the child towards me, the dog bit my hand. Perhaps it thought I was hitting the child." Rabies Death in Pune: 33-Year-Old Man Dies Nearly 3 Months After Stray Dog Bite Despite Vaccination.

He further explained the missed treatment, saying, "People took me to the doctor. There, I got a tetanus injection. Then I came home with my father. I knew about rabies, so I also went to the hospital to get its injection. But it was very crowded there. A hospital employee claimed that if I had already received a tetanus injection, there was no need for a rabies injection. Believing him, I came home."

Reflecting on how close his condition came to isolation, Karan said, "If I hadn't gotten better, people would have kept me locked up in the house like this."

UP Boy Survives Final Stage of Rabies After Being Told to 'Lock Him in a Dungeon'

Sudden Collapse and Barking Symptoms

According to his father Bhaiyalal, Karan showed no signs of rabies for around four months after the bite. On the evening of March 13, Karan returned from work and suddenly collapsed outside the house. The family gave him medicine and he appeared fine, but the next morning he fell again and started barking, unable to speak. Gujarat Rabies Case: Man Seen Crawling on All Fours, ‘Barking’ and Attacking Family in Banaskantha, Hospitalised (Watch Video).

The family initially suspected a supernatural problem and took him to the Ram-Janaki temple in Kachhwa Bazaar for prayers. As his condition worsened, they moved him through a nearby hospital, Kachhwa Christian Hospital, and then Mirzapur District Hospital, where he received a couple of injections before doctors advised the family to take him to Varanasi.

Doctors at BHU Say He Would Not Survive

At BHU, doctors reportedly told the family to lock Karan alone in a dark room, keep everyone away from him, and not let anyone touch him, warning he would die within three to four days. The advice came because Karan was trying to bite people and was considered to be in the final stage of rabies.

Bhaiyalal said the family's courage broke after hearing this, but they insisted on taking him home if he could not survive. Doctors then referred them to Kapil Chaura Hospital for another opinion, where doctors sprinkled water on Karan, causing him to tremble, and again found no hope. A subsequent visit to Rama Center Hospital brought the same response, with doctors advising the family to take him away.

The Turnaround That Saved Karan

Bhaiyalal recalled the family's decision to try one more option, saying, "When we gave up after showing him to everyone in Varanasi, I called my in-laws. My brother-in-law's son said to bring him to Harhua (a town in Varanasi) to us."

A retired health worker named Suman, formerly at the Harhua Primary Health Center, examined Karan and arranged for him to receive a rabies vaccine the next morning, followed by further doses.

Describing the treatment course, Bhaiyalal said, "After a week, the third vaccine was administered. Two more vaccines were given in the next two weeks. A total of 5 rabies vaccines were given in about 22 days. Karan started recovering. We brought him home. After a month, he started having problems again. We called the doctor there, and they called him back and gave two more vaccines at 1-week intervals. Now Karan is perfectly fine."

Life Back to Normal, Karan Now in Class 9

Karan is currently studying in class 9 and says life has returned to how it was before the incident. He continues to enjoy studying, his friends play with him as usual, and teachers treat him without any discrimination.

His home is located about 15 kilometers from Mirzapur district headquarters, near Kachhwa market. He has two elder brothers and a sister, and lost his mother around 10 years ago. His father Bhaiyalal has been unable to work since suffering a paralysis attack four years ago.

Doctors Explain the Rare Recovery

Dr Santosh Kumar, Superintendent of Harhua Primary Health Centre in Varanasi, said to Dainik Bhaskar Karan arrived with hydrophobia and barking, and that his aggression appeared to decrease within 24 hours of receiving an anti-rabies injection. He said the family was advised to complete the full course, and although treatment began late, Karan completed five doses over 22 days followed by two additional doses.

Dr Devendra Pratap Patel of Pratapgarh District Hospital explained that the location of a dog bite and the timing of symptoms can affect how quickly rabies progresses, noting that a bite on the hand is farther from the brain than one on the neck or chest, which could allow the virus to reach the brain more quickly and make survival harder. He also pointed out that the dog was reportedly a pet that may have received an anti-rabies vaccination, which could explain why symptoms took four months to appear.

Dr Patel added that it is possible the infection had not completely overwhelmed Karan, and raised the possibility that hearing or reading about rabies may have had a psychological effect on the child after he recalled the dog bite and began barking. He said doctors may have based their assessment on the barking itself, but described the case as unique and said a detailed study could help clarify several aspects.

He further explained that a rabies vaccine acts as an antigen, triggering the production of antibodies against the virus over 3 to 4 days, while the virus itself gradually travels toward the brain through the nerves, with later symptoms linked to its effect on the brain.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2026 10:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).