Hyderabad: An eight-year-old boy who had been battling life-threatening injuries for more than a year after a brutal dog attack has died, bringing a tragic end to a long and painful struggle that saw months of hospitalisation and prolonged medical care at home.According to the district health administration in Jagtial, the boy, M Manitej, had travelled with his family in Dec 2024 to attend a wedding in their native village, Kotilingala. Two days later, he was attacked by a stray dog that inflicted deep bite injuries on his neck. “We suspect that the death may not be due to rabies, as survival for over a year is highly unlikely in such cases. It is more likely that complications from the severe neck injuries led to his death,” a health official said. Manitej was first treated at a govt hospital in Jagtial, where doctors administered anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin. However, the injuries had caused severe nerve damage, prompting doctors to refer him to a private hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment. “The child remained on ventilator support for nearly three months. Doctors reportedly informed the parents that his chances of survival were minimal and advised them to take him home. The family then arranged ventilator support at their residence in Hyderabad and continued caring for him for several months by spending lakhs of rupees,” said an official in district health administration, Jagtial. Recently, after noticing no movement in his body, the parents rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared dead. A post-mortem examination has been conducted. However, health officials stated that the exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed, as the family has not submitted complete medical records.
