New Delhi, March 15. (PTI): About 20,000 rabies deaths occur in India of which 80 per cent are reported from rural areas, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

In a written reply, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss said as per the WHO report, globally 55,000 deaths occur due to rabies with 56 per cent of the deaths estimated to occur in Asia.

"It is estimated that 20,000 rabies deaths occur in India, 40 per cent of the cases occur in children below the age of 14 years and 80 per cent of these deaths are estimated to occur in rural areas," he said.

The number of deaths reported due to snake bite in the country is 1502 in 2005 and 814 in 2006.

The Minister said, health is a State subject and is primarily the responsiblity of the State Governments to ensure the availability of anti-snake venom serum and anti-rabies vaccine serum in the health care facilities in their States.

The Central Government extends technical support and guidelines for the prevention and management of the snake bite and dog-bite cases, he said.