Malappuram (Kerala) | A six-year-old girl who was bitten by a stray dog a month ago died of rabies on Tuesday despite receiving preventive vaccination in Kerala's Malappuram district, family sources said.

Ziya Faris, a native of Peruvallur, was attacked by a stray dog on March 29 when she went out to buy sweets from a shop near her home.

She suffered critical injuries to her head, face, and legs and had been under treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Kozhikode district for several days.

She passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, according to family sources.

Her father, Faris, said Ziya was administered the anti-rabies vaccine and prescribed related medication at the medical college hospital soon after the attack.

Although she was discharged after receiving the vaccination, the girl developed a fever several days later and subsequently tested positive for rabies.

She was readmitted and had been in the intensive care unit (ICU) for the past few days before succumbing to the infection, her father said.

Doctors at the hospital said the deep injuries to her scalp might have allowed the virus to reach her brain, making the vaccine less effective.

"The girl had four severe, deep wounds on her scalp. When the head and face are affected, the virus can more easily reach the brain," one of the treating doctors told the media.

"If the infection has already entered the nervous system, we cannot guarantee that vaccination will be 100 per cent effective," the doctor added.

According to health authorities, seven other people were also bitten by the same stray dog on the same day. None of them has developed symptoms of rabies so far.