31 July 2008
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Rabies in dogs has been reported from two districts in the Eastern Cape, 2 cases from Ugie in the Ukhahlamba district and 2 from Cumakala in the Chris Hani district. Vaccination and awareness campaigns are being organised, and human exposures will be followed up. 31 July 2008
Georgia, USA
A puppy originating from the Cherry Log area has tested positive for rabies after it was given to a Murray County resident. 27 July 2008
Colorado, USA
6 Larimer County, Colorado, residents are being treated for rabies, and 5 bats in the county have been confirmed to have the disease, according to the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. Two dogs and a cat have also been quarantined in Fort Collins after possible exposure to rabid bats.
23 July 2008
Jujuy, Northern Argentina
An 8-year-old boy died in northern Argentina after having contracted rabies from a dog bite. Jujuy province has experienced a rabies outbreak for the past two years, in spite of an intensive mass vaccination of dogs, the outbreak has not been controlled yet. 18 July 2008
Eastern Cape, South Africa
A 15 year old girl died in the Mount Ayliff area in the Eastern Cape of suspected rabies. The girl had previously been bitten by a dog which has also since died. 26 June 2008
New Jersey, USA ex Iraq
One of the 26 dogs and cats flown out of Iraq to rejoin soldiers in the USA has tested positive for rabies. The rabies was diagnosed after the dog was euthanized for other health reasons. The animals arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport 3 weeks ago. SPCA officials say the organization complied with all customs and health regulations, and that all 26 animals were cleared to enter the USA. Health officials are recommending revaccination of the remaining dogs and cats. In addition, people who may have had close contact with the affected dog should discuss possible treatment with their doctor. The state Health Department is monitoring the situation.
15 May 2008
USA, South Carolina
24 people are now being treated prophylactically against rabies after being in contact with the baby raccoon that tested positive for rabies. 17 pets belonging to those people are also in quarantine. 12 May 2008
USA, South Carolina
16 people are being treated prophylactically against rabies after a baby raccoon tested positive for the disease. The baby raccoon was found in the woods and was being cared for by several people over the past weeks. This is the first confirmed rabid animal in Beaufort County in 2008. In 2007 no rabid animals were confirmed in the county. There were 162 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 45 confirmed cases in animals in the state.
4 May 2008
Argentina, Beunos Aires
The Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires, Argentina, have reported a case of rabies in a cat, from the Caballito district. This is the 1st case in a terrestrial animal detected in the city in 27 years. It is reported that the cat was playing with a bat on 15 March 2008. It became sick 2 weeks later, and died on 8 April 2008. The cat tested positive for rabies. While ill the cat bit 4 people who have received post exposure prophylaxis. Apparently the cat was not vaccinated, as most people don't think rabies is a danger for cats. Sanitary authorities have implemented a wide pet vaccination campaign. 30 April 2008
Belgium, ex Gambia
A female puppy, illegally brought into Belgium from Gambia, has died and tested positive for rabies. The dog first showed symptoms on 16 April and died on 21 April. A risk assessment was carried out and all people and animals in contact with the dog from 1 April have received appropriate treatment. 26 April 2008
England, in quarantine
A puppy, brought into an England from Sri Lanka by a charity organisation, tested positive for rabies while in quarantine. The puppies behaviour changed and it nipped 3 workers. The pup died two days later and tested positive to rabies. The affected people have received post exposure prophylaxis. As the puppy died in quaratine any public health risk has been contained. 19 April 2008
Argentina, Cordoba
A puppy has tested positive for rabies. 7 people who had contact with the puppy are receiving post exposure prophylaxis.An extensive dog and cat vaccination campaign in the community where the animal lived is being carried out. 9 April 2008
USA, Texas
Williamson County Health District has issued a warning to parents. A bat found Monday [7 Apr 2008] at the Twin Lakes YMCA daycare playground has tested positive for rabies. At least 2 children came into contact with the bat. It is suspected that more children were exposed. USA, New York
A man from Lake George is being given post exposure prophylaxis after being bitten by a rabid gray fox. The fox attacked the man and tried to get into his home as the man entered his back door. The fox was later killed and tested positive for rabies. USA, Arkansas
A dog belonging to a family in Polk County has tested positive for rabies. The dog became ill and progressively more aggressive, it was euthanased and tested for rabies. The dog was not vaccinated against rabies. It killed a skunk a few weeks previously, this is believed to be the source of the disease. All people that were in contact with the dog are urged to receive post exposure prophylaxis. USA, Arizona
Pinal County Public Health Services District is issuing an advisory for animal rabies. A bobcat caught and killed at a campground has tested positive for the disease. The bobcat attacked and exposed at least 2 individuals at the campsite. Both individuals are currently receiving a series of shots to prevent contracting the rabies virus. USA, Georgia
A man in Whitfield County was attacked and bitten by a rabid fox. Whitfield County wasn't included last fall [2007] when vaccine-laden baits were put out in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia to battle the spread of rabies in wild animals. 9 April 2008
South Africa, Eastern Cape
Following the confirmed outbreak of dog rabies in East London (Nahoon and Bonza Bay) the state veterinary services will be conducting a rabies campaign in the area. Owners of all pets are requested to bring their animals to be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccination will be free of charge. 1 April 2008
USA, West Virginia
A Hampshire County cattle farm has been quarantined after two cows tested positive for rabies. A total of 6 people are undergoing rabies treatments as a precaution, although none showed any signs of the disease. 3 animals recently died on the farm but the 1st one was not tested for rabies.None of the 85 animals left in the herd will be allowed off the farm until the risk can be adequately assessed. 25 March 2008
USA, California ex Mexico
A 16 year old boy has died of rabies after being admitted to a Californian hospital. It is believed that the boy contracted the disease in Mexico, as he had not been in the United States long enough to have had the disease take its course. The source of infection is unknown but it is thought that boy was probably bitten by a rabid dog. The boys 8 housemates have been contacted and are being treated prophylactically against rabies. Officials are still on the lookout for the boy's traveling companion, who is believed to be in either Santa Barbara or Ventura counties.
25 March 2008
USA, Texas
The 20th case of rabies in Fannin County, Texas, since August 2007 has been confirmed. A dead skunk found near a campground has tested positive for the virus. Two campers had been in contact with the skunk, the skunk bit the shoe of one camper, post exposure prophylaxis has been advised. The countywide total of confirmed rabid wild animals in Fannin County since last August now includes 16 raccoons, two foxes, a skunk and a bat.
24 March 2008
USA, New Mexico
State officials have warned of a possible rabies outbreak amongst the fox population in Grant County New Mexico after 2 incidents: - 17 March - a sick looking fox hissed at a dog that was out walking with its owner. The fox was caught and killed and tested positive for rabies
- 18 March - a woman out walking was attacked and bitten by a fox. The fox ran away and has not been captured but the woman is receiving post exposure prophylaxis
March 2008
Publication on the Eurosurveillance website
Identification of a rabid dog in France illegally introduced from Morocco, Euro Surveillance 2008;13(11). 10 March 2008
USA, Arizona
A rabid mountain lion attacked a 10 year old boy north of Phoenix on 8 Mar 2008. The lion was then shot and killed. The boy and several others who may have been exposed to the cat will undergo preventative rabies treatment over the next few weeks. 7 March 2008
USA, Tennessee, West-Virginia
Officials with the Sullivan County Regional Health Department are asking all pet owners to make sure their pets are current on rabies vaccinations after a raccoon recovered in the Bluff City area tested positive for rabies. France
Following the diagnosis of rabies in a dog on the outskirts of Paris in February, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is advising that any person who had significant exposure to dogs in these 3 regions of France (see below) in recent weeks should seek prompt medical assessment to determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is required. - Gers (Auch city and surroundings), from 1 Nov 2007
- Grandpuits, Seine-et-Marne (approx 30 miles SE of Paris) from 15 Dec 2007
- Calvados (Lisieux city and Thury Harcourt village and their surroundings), from 15 Dec 2007.
25 February 2008
Russia, Ukraine - Republic of Alta
Laboratory tests have confirmed that several cattle that died in 2 separate villages have died of rabies. - Chelyabinsk region
Rabies is suspected in a 45 year old woman that died after being bitten by a fox. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed. - Chelyabinsk Oblast
Rabies statistics are increasing in the region. In 2007 there were 142 laboratory confirmed cases reported in 101 settlements. Rabies is spreading in foxes, but dogs, cats, and farm animals are also involved. A total of 16 000 people suffered animal bites during the past year, and 3000 of them received vaccination against rabies. 300 to 500 people had to be admitted to hospitals for medical care.
Officials have declared that the most radical and effective way of prevention is the culling of wild carnivores in their natural habitats and the rounding up and destruction of stray dogs and cats. Domestic and farm animals are also to be vaccinated and revaccinated by the Oblast veterinary service. - Donetsk Oblast
A 10 year old girl who was admitted at the beginning of February 2008 to a hospital in Ugledar in the Donetsk Oblast with a diagnosis of rabies died on 11 Feb 2008. The cat from which she is believed to have contracted the infection was a stray and has not been located.
14 February 2008
Indonesia, Flores
2 people have died of rabies after being bitten by dogs. Rabies was introduced onto this small Indonesia island in 1998. Culling of dogs was previously implemented but has not been effective in eradicating the disease. 2 February 2008
Brazil, Ceara
A 14 year old boy died of rabies. The boy had previously been bitten by a tamarin monkey. 24 January 2008
Ukraine
A 26 year old man dies from rabies in Kharkov, Ukraine. The man had been bitten by his own dog three months previously. It is believed that the dog contracted rabies from a sick fox, the dog became ill and was euthanised. The dog had supposedly been vaccinated against rabies and was not tested for rabies. People and animals that were in contact with the dog and man are being vaccinated against rabies. 23 January 2008
Canada
Public health officials say they might have a possible rabies crisis
on their hands after a border collie puppy died from rabies at the
Toronto Humane Society last week. The dog was one of about a dozen pups sold from a booth at a local market. The mother of the pups was traced to a farm near Perth. The mother contracted rabies and died after killing a rabid skunk. 18 January 2008
China
The ministries of Health and Agriculture have issued a a regulation that all dogs in China are required to be vaccinated against rabies. Owners who refuse to get their dogs vaccinated will face "serious punishment," while legal action will be taken against owners whose dogs cause the spread of the disease. In 2007 there were 3380 reported rabies fatalities in humans in China. Less than 10% of the dog population is currently vaccinated against rabies.
4 January 2008
USA
Public health response to a rabid kitten, 2007 - Four States
On 24 Jul 2007 the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) was notified by the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) of a stray, rabid kitten that had been handled by players on several girls' softball teams during a tournament in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The kitten had been euthanased after falling ill and subsequently tested positive for rabies. Exposed persons were identified through cooperation among the states and CDC, which included daily conference calls and e-mail exchanges among investigators in the affected states; CDC participated in conference calls to provide additional expertise. In this investigation, rapid, open, interstate collaboration enabled the expeditious identification and prophylactic treatment of exposed persons while preventing unnecessary administration of Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). No cases of rabies transmitted to humans from the kitten were reported and no cases of PEP reactions were reported.
4 January 2008
Manitoba, Canada
A rabies public health warning has been issued in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. There seems to be an outbreak of the disease in the skunk popultaion. The public has been advised to beware of skunks that are behaving abnormally and to ensure that their pets under control and vaccinated against rabies. December 2007
The Netherlands ex Kenya
Fatal case of human rabies (Duvenhage virus) from a bat in Kenya
See the Eurosurveillance website 31 December 2007
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
A 5-year-old boy has been diagnosed with rabies. The boy was bitten in his neck by a stray dog and 5 weeks later began to show symptoms of rabies. He received treatment against tetanus but no rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.
3 November 2007
USA, AK
A wolf killed in the Yukon River village of Marshall last week has tested positive for rabies. Officials are recommending that all unvaccinated dogs that were exposed to the wolves be euthanized. The wolf was part of a pack that killed 6 sled dogs before Marshall residents drove them out of town. 29 October 2007
Belgium ex Morocco
A labrador cross dog, imported from Morocco and living with a family in Southern Brussels , was destroyed after showing rabies symptoms. Further laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis of rabies. A 2nd dog which lived in the same house was also destroyed and tests are pending. The family involved have all been tested and vaccinated against rabies and the food agency and other authorities are seeking to contact anyone who may have come in contact with the dog.
12 September 2007
USA
At the Inaugural World Rabies Day Symposium the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) announced that the US has been declared free of canine rabies. Canine rabies elimination was achieved through implementation of dog vaccination and licensing, and stray dog control. Despite the elimination of canine rabies, the disease remains a human threat in the USA particularly from bats. Rabies also remains a potential threat through spillover infections from wildlife to domestic animals adaptation to new animal reservoirs, movement of potentially infected animals, and lack of adequate vaccination coverage of domestic animals, particularly cats and dogs.
12 September 2007
South Africa
40 human rabies fatalities have been reported since 2006. Most cases reported are from Limpopo Province or Kwazulu-Natal. 31 cases of rabies were reported in 2006 of which 21 were from the Limpopo province. So far in 2007 9 cases have been reported of which one was from Zambia. Usually most cases are seen in Kwazulu-Natal, since 1986 there have been between 6 and 32 cases per year in this province. 10 September 2007
Vietnam
In the first 8 months of 2007 81 people have died of rabies. Most of the victims were from the northern provinces of Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Ha Tay and Yen Bai. 8 September 2007
Pune, India 6 August 2007
Azerbaijan
Specimens collected from animals in the village of Gardashobain in the Khachmaz region after attacks by jackals have tested positive for rabies. No cases of attacks on villagers have been recorded. Previously, some cases of attacks have been reported in the village of Gardashoba, which is surrounded by forests, when 4 children and an old man were attacked by jackals. All have received appropriate post-exposure treatment. Khanveli said that all cattle and other livestock in the village have been immunized now against rabies. During the past few days, one child had died as a result of rabies virus infection in the village of Neftchala. Post exposure treatment was not sought after the child was bitten. 18 June 2007
Russia, Udmurtia
Since the beginning of 2007, 56 cases of rabies have been recorded in animals in Udmertia. The last recorded case was a few days ago in a fox. A week ago 5 people were bitten by a rabid stray dog. All are receiving post exposure prophylaxis. Ukraine, Donetsk
An epidemic of rabies is evolving in the Donetsk region. Rabies was detected among domestic and wild animals in 59 places. According to veterinarians, rabies is present in animals in 16 areas in the region, including Donetsk city. 13 June 2007
China
It was reported that rabies killed 201 people in China in May 2007. Rabies is top of the list of deadly infectious diseases in the country. 11 June 2007
British Columbia, Canada
Rabies has been confirmed in a domestic cat in the Lower Mainland city. The cat was brought into the vet with neurological symptoms. Blood tests were positive for rabies. 21 people who were in contact with the cat are receiving post exposure prophylaxis. It is suspected that the cat was bitten by a bat. 2 May 2007
USA, New York
Rabies has been confirmed in a raccoon found on Camel Hollow Beach, Lloyd Harbor, Suffolk County on 25 Apr 2007. This is Suffolk County's 12th case of terrestrial animal rabies since March 2006 and the 7th of this calendar year. To date, rabid raccoons have been recovered from Huntington (2), Lloyd Harbor (9), and Cold Spring Harbor (1). Since the advent of raccoon rabies in Nassau County, Suffolk County has been working with federal, state, county and local officials to develop a plan for the control of the disease. In September 2006, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services began an oral rabies vaccine program in the western region of the county.This was complemented by similar efforts in Nassau County. A 2nd phase of the program is planned for late spring. The goal of this program is to vaccinate terrestrial wildlife against rabies in order to prevent further spread on Long Island.
20 April 2007
Germany, Hamburg ex Morocco
A 55 year old man has been diagnosed with rabies in Hamburg, Germany. 6 weeks ago his dog was involved in a fight with a stray dog in Morocco, the man was bitten when separating the fighting dogs. Medical consultation was sought directly after the injury, but no vaccination was initiated. The 15-year-old dog was euthanased by a veterinarian 4 weeks later as it could not stand up. Rabies was 1st suspected in the beginning of this week by a local hospital, which the patient consulted for fever and paresthesia. On admission in Hamburg, RT-PCR for rabies virus nucleocapsid RNA in 2 different saliva samples and one corneal swab was positive. The patient received active and passive post exposure vaccination in the local hospital on Tuesday [17 Apr 2007]. Deep sedation with ketamine and midazolam was initiated on Thursday [19 Apr 2007].
Amantadine but no other antiviral drugs have been given. 05 March 2007
Canada, Alberta
A 73 year old man contracted rabies after being bitten on the shoulder by a bat. 25 February 2007
Indonesia: fatal case of rabies in Ruteng (Flore)
2 children (15 and 3 years old) have died of rabies in the regional public hospital, Ruteng. The three year old was bitten on the lower lip by a dog and was admitted in a very critical condition. The source of infection for the other child is not clear. 23 February 2007
Increase in rabies cases in animals in Belarus
There has been an increase in the number of rabies cases in animals in Belarus, in 1996 27 cases were recorded, with peaks in 2003
(1077 cases) and 2006 (1628 cases). In comparison, a decade earlier (1988-1995), only sporadic cases of rabies in animals were registered. Although most cases of rabies in Belarus are found in foxes, raccoon dogs are increasingly affected. In 2001a control program was implemented, oral vaccination of wild animals, vaccination of pets and capture of stray dogs and cats. Rabies cases dropped in 2004 but peaked again in the following 2 years. The number of people requesting post exposure rabies treatment has however remained the same. No human deaths were reported in 2004 and 2005 but in 2006 two rabies related deaths were recorded.
21 February
Rabies human feline, Bulgaria
A woman and 4 neighbours have been admitted to hospital in the Bulgarian town of Novi Iskar. The woman was bitten by her cat who tested positive for rabies on postmortal examination. The town is under high alert. Authorities have already stocked a large quantity of anti-rabies vaccine, fearing more cases. 20 February 2007
Russia - Multistate - Southern Urals, Kizilskiy district - Cow bitten by a rabid fox.All people that were in contact with the cow are being treated prophylactically.
- Outbreak of rabies in cattle registered in the Dakhadevsky district of Dagestan.
- 7 cases of rabies among animals recorded for the week in the Rostov region. The animals were a fox, wolf, cow and several vagrant dogs.
Belarus According to the Republican center of hygiene, epidemiology and public health, 91 cases of rabies in animals were registered during January 2007, in Belarus. Among them, 9 cases were recorded in the Brest region, 22 in the Vitebsk region, 18 in the Gomel region, 11 in the Grodno region, 12 in the Minsk region, 19 in the Mogilyov region.
No case was recorded during January [2007] in the capital Minsk. 12 February 2007
South Africa - Horse dies of rabies in Western Cape
A yearling has died of rabies in the Somerset West, Stellenbosch area. This is the first case of rabies recorded in the Western Cape in 17 years. It is believed to be an isolated incident and that the horse was bitten by a rabid carrier, possibly a bat-eared fox. A vaccination campaign has been launched within a 3km radius of the farm. 5 February 2007
China - 1st rabies case of 2007 reported in Beijing
A man has died from rabies after being bitten by a stray puppy at the beginning of January 2007. February 2007
Columbia - 4 people die of rabies
4 people have died of rabies during December 2006 and January 2007 in Santa Marta Columbia. The people were bitten by rabid dogs during September 2006. 24 January 2007
Peru - 11 children die from Rabies transmitted by vampire bats
Eleven children from native communities in the Northern Peruvian Amazon Jungle died from rabies, after they were bitten by vampire bats. Attacks by vampire bats led some villagers to leave their homes in Condorcanqui Province, near the Ecuadorian border. 2 outbreaks occurred in different places, one between last September and November [2006], in which 3 children died, and another one last November [2006], in which 8 children died. The total number of people bitten was 1101. Peruvian authorities have assured villagers that the outbreak is under control. 23 January 2007
Angola -
21 reported cases of rabid dog bites
Since December 2006, 21 cases of people bitten by rabid dogs of whom 1 has died have been reported. This is according to health authorities of Ukuma township, situated 92 km from the town Huambo.Residents have been asked to keep their dogs tied up; stray dogs will be destroyed. December 2006
Kenya - Rabies in donkeys and stray dogs
Residents in the Isiolo district are being urged to bring dogs and donkeys for rabies vaccination. It is feared that the high number of stray dogs in the area and high incidence of reported dog bites may lead to a rabies outbreak. December 2006
China - Rabies heads fatal disease list in November
Rabies killed more people in China than any other infectious disease for
the 6th consecutive month in November 2006. There were 270 reported deaths caused by rabies in November out of 743 deaths due to infectious disease on the Chinese
mainland, 354 people were
reportedly bitten by rabid animals. Rabies has topped the list of the most deadly infectious disease in China since June
2006. China ranks 2nd in the world after India in the number of reported cases of human rabies, sources said. Every year, more than 50 000 people around
the world die of the disease, most of them from developing countries. November 2006
USA (West Virginia), Rabies in raccoons
Oral vaccination has been used to control rabies in raccoons in West Virginia. Baits containing vaccine are dropped from planes over problem areas. It is believed that raccoon rabies was introduced into West Virginia in 1977 when raccoons were introduced into the area from Florida by hunters attempting to stock up the area. 03 November 2006
Indiana, USA
A 10-year-old girl who was being treated for the first confirmed case
of rabies in Indiana since 1959 has died. She was hospitalized in early October 2006 after being
bitten in June by a rabid bat.More than 30
relatives, friends and classmates of the girl were offered injections
to prevent the spread of the disease. 02 October 2006
China, Beijing
China's Ministry of Health reported a total of 1874 rabies cases
in China during the first 8 months of this year, with 1735 deaths. The
figure is up 29.2% on last year. The cases were found in 21 provinces, autonomous regions, and
municipalities across China including Guizhou, Guangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Hubei. The ministry said that China ranks second in the world after India in terms
of the number of rabies cases. Every year more than 50 000 people around
the world die of the disease, with most of them living in developing countries. 21 September 2006
Osh, Kyrgyzstan
2 year old baby dies from rabies after being bitten by a dog. Human rabies cases in Kyrgyzstan are common as a
consequence of lack of comprehensive vaccination of domestic animals
and pets and the abundance of stray animals. 12 September 2006
Swaziland, Southern Africa
Officials have warned about a rabies outbreak in the Nhlangano and surrounding areas. Already 7 dogs
were found to have been infected. 7 August 2006
China, Jining - Shandong province
Officials have ordered a mass indiscriminate culling of all dogs within a three mile radius of a rabies outbreak. The cull is an attempt to control the disease which has claimed 16 human lives already this year. The indiscriminate slaughter of dogs has been condemmed as unecessary by animal rights activists as the disease can be controlled by vaccination and adequate surveillance measures. Serbia Montenegro
19 June 2006
Rabid foxes are being found in areas that have been rabies-free for
decades. 15 rabid foxes have been identified over the course of a year. Texas,USA
15 May 2006
A 16 year old school boy dies from rabies in Humble, Texas. It is believed that the boy contracted the disease from a bat that entered his bedroom several weeks ago. Kerala state, Southern India
27 April 2006
Two men aged 20 and 30 have died from rabies in Kerala state. Both men were reportedly bitten by owned pet dogs. Rabies cases in New Hampshire, USA
10 April 2006
Five cases of rabies have already been confirmed this year in New Hampshire. A fox, two raccoons and two skunks. Pet owners have been urged to vaccinate their animals. Increase in Rabies cases in North Carolina
05 April 2006
Veterinarians and animal control officers say they are seeing an increase in the number of rabies cases in Halifax County. In the past 2 weeks, 4 animals in the county have been diagnosed with the deadly disease -- the same number diagnosed in the entire state in 2005. The animals include 3 raccoons and one dog. Officials believe that the problem is partly due to pet owners not vaccinating their animals against rabies. 18 Rabies deaths in 1 week, North East India
27 March 2006
18 people from the state of Manipur in North East India have died of Rabies over the course of a week. The problem is said to be partially due to the shortage of Rabies vaccines. www.promed.org Man dies of Rabies, Eastern Cape, South Africa
1 March 2006
A 42 year old man has died of rabies after being bitten by a dog in mid February. Villagers in the area claim that many other dogs are affected. www.promed.org Woman dies of Rabies, Beijing, China
26 February 2006
A 37 year old woman died of rabies in Beijing 14 February 2006. The woman was bitten by her puppy that was not immunised on 10 January 2006. www.promed.org Maryland, USA - Increase in rabies incidence
16 December 2005
A raccoon that attacked a 61 year old woman in Dickeyville has tested positive for rabies. This is the 10th raccoon and 18th animal found with rabies in the city in 2005. In 2004, there were only 2, according to the city Health Department. Reported animal bites, too, are up sharply in the city. Most involve dogs and cats, which are supposed to be vaccinated against rabies. But bites by raccoons and bats are also up, from 68 in 2004 to 100 in 2005. Some of the increase might be the result of increased reporting and vigilance by the public. www.promed.org Ukraine: 2nd rabies victim in Kirovograd Region
13 December 2005
A 53 year old woman died of rabies in Novoukrainckiy district, Kirovograd region. This is the 2nd fatal case of rabies to have been reported in the region since the beginning of September 2005. At the end of October 2005, a 64 year old man died of rabies after he was bitten by a feral cat. www.promed.org Mexico - Rabies in dogs in 2005
In 2005 91 dogs were confirmed to have rabies in in the
valley between Cuautitlan and Ecatepec in Mexico state. The problem is caused by a large population of unvaccinated street dogs as well as fraudulent health personnel claiming to adminster rabies vaccines to dogs. www.promed.org Brazil - Vampire Bat Rabies Outbreak in Maranhao State
2 November 2005 23 people, including 18 children and teenagers, have been killed in a human rabies outbreak in northeast Brazil in the past 2 months. According to the Health Ministry, the disease is transmitted to humans by vampire bats. In many parts of the world wild-life rabies has been controlled by oral vaccination. www.promed.org Kyrgyzstan - Rabies outbreak in Naykatsk District
1 August 2005 A dog from the village of Talas (Naykatsk district) was confirmed as having rabies on 21 July 2005. Epidemiological studies revealed that 6 people in the village of Talas, 8 people in the village of On Eki Bel and 17 people in the village of Bel Kairagach had been bitten. In addition, another 25 people had been in contact with the dog. All of these people, bite victims and exposed persons, were prescribed a course of anti-rabies vaccine. During the period 20 to 23 Jul 2005, a total of 88 dogs, 203 head of cattle, 112 dogs and 16 cats were vaccinated. www.promed.org Russia - Child Dies from Rabies
28 July 2005 An 8-year-old girl died of rabies in the city of Goose-Khrustalniy in the Vladimir region. [Over a 2-month period] 200 people have received medical treatment in hospitals in the city of Goose-Khrustalniy due to animal bites. A rabies quarantine has been declared in 4 areas of the city, and 30 more areas are [at risk]. A similar situation pertains in other towns of the Vladimir region (Murom, Alexandrov, Petushki, Kirzhach and Yuriev-Polskiy).
www.promed.org 22 July 2005
UK - death of woman bitten by rabid dog in Goa
A woman who was bitten by a dog during her holiday in Goa has died from rabies. The woman, from Bury, Greater Manchester, contracted the viral infection after she was bitten by a stray animal on 9 Apr 2005. The 39 year old shop assistant fell ill when she returned to England and died in hospital. www.promed.org 19 July 2005
China - death of 2 boys sparks rabies vaccine investigation A major investigation is under way following the deaths of 2 boys who received rabies inoculations in Guandong Province. Both deaths occurred less than 2 weeks apart in Guangdong's Wengyuan County, and now the Food and Drug Administration is looking into the batch of vaccine concerned. www.promed.org | 
