Dog bite cases in the city have seen a steady rise after the relaxation of the restrictions. data by BMC’s health department has revealed. Dog bite cases that had dropped to 57,016 in 2020 are again going up and nearing pre-Covid numbers, it shows. The year 2021 saw around 67,993 dog bite cases in Mumbai, which is a 19 per cent rise compared to the previous year. NGOs working with the civic body have warned that as the movement of people has increased post relaxations there will be more dog bite instances in the city. On average, 156 dog bites cases were reported daily in 2020, which have gone up to 186 a day. 

“As the movement of people was restricted in 2020, dog bite cases decreased drastically. But, in 2021, after the second wave, the unlocking began and the movement of people increased. They came in contact with dogs more than in the previous year. The same trend is witnessed in diseases, too,” said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health official, BMC. Many NGOs working with BMC pointed out that more effort is needed in the animal birth control programme (ABC).