India, July 4 -- Amid rising dog-bite cases, the Maharashtra public health department has directed government hospitals and local health authorities to strictly implement the Centre's rabies treatment protocol after identifying serious gaps in the classification of animal-bite cases that could affect life-saving treatment, officials said on Saturday.

In a circular issued on July 2, the department said district reports showed that only 15%-18% of animal-bite cases were being classified as Category III injuries, whereas the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) estimates that 40%-50% of such cases fall in this high-risk category.

Health officials warned that incorrect classification could deprive patients of timely administration of ...