World Rabies Day aims to raise awareness and advocate for rabies elimination globally, helping to unite all people, organisations, and stakeholders in the fight against rabies. It is held each year on the 28 September – the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the first person to successfully create a vaccine against rabies – to celebrate his extraordinary life and work.
This year’s theme is “Breaking Rabies Boundaries”, underscoring the urgency to transcend limitations that are hindering our fight against this deadly disease. The chosen theme reflects the pressing need to move beyond the status quo, where rabies elimination remains elusive for many parts of the world, causing suffering and claiming both human and animal lives.
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic viral disease that is spread through the saliva or nervous system tissues of an infected mammal to another mammal, including humans via lick, bite, scratch or saliva/tissue exposure.
- Rabies is virtually 100% fatal
- Worldwide more than 59,000 people die from rabies every year
- Over 95% of these deaths are in Africa and Asia, with the majority occurring from rabid dog bites (although dogs are not the only animal species that can present a risk)
- 40% of those bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15 years
- Effective and safe vaccines exist for both humans and dogs, and if given are highly protective
For more info on preventing Rabies via awareness and vaccination please see: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/disease/148/rabies
For more info on World Rabies Day see: https://rabiesalliance.org/world-rabies-day
