28 September
The aim of World Rabies Day is to raise awareness about the impact of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent it, and how to eliminate the main global sources.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease (a disease which people can get from animals). It is caused by a virus which affects the brain and causes death. The virus is shed in saliva and is spread by the bite of an infected animal. In South Africa people are usually infected by dogs, but other animals such as cats, mongooses, jackals and other wild animals can also infect people.
It is very important to have your pets vaccinated against rabies and to seek medical help immediately if you are bit by an animal.
According to the World Health Organisation an estimated 55 000 human deaths occur worldwide per year due to canine rabies, accounting for 1 death and 300 exposures every 15 minutes. Almost all human fatalities occur in developing countries with 56 percent occurring in Asia and 44 percent in Africa.
