Facts of Rabies

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Reliable data on rabies are scarce in many areas of the globe, making it difficult to assess its full impact on human and animal health. The annual number of deaths worldwide caused by rabies is estimated to as high as 70,000 for densely populated countries in Africa and Asia(1).

General advice for all countries:

Medical advice should be sought for any animal bite, and a tetanus injection given.

The UK:

Strict quarantine regulations keep the country rabies-free. But bat bites should be medically treated.

Europe:

In general, dogs in urban areas in mainland Europe are not rabid, but foxes can be. To combat rabies in foxes, vaccines are left in bait or dropped from helicopters onto fields.

India, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Africa, Central and South America and Thailand:

Many dogs in these areas are infected with rabies, but there have been recent decreases in human rabies, due to improved vaccination programmes. Whilst in these countries, keep your arms and legs covered as much as possible. Any bite from an animal, particularly dog, cat, monkey or bat, should be treated as a possible rabies risk.

Australia:

Australia is mostly rabies-free, but some bats may be infected so precautions should be taken.

Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Philippines, Sweden, New Zealand, the Antarctic, some Caribbean and Pacific islands and some parts of Europe do not harbour rabies.