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World Rabies Day is globally observed on Sep 28. This is an international event leaded by Global Alliance for Rabies Control and endorsed by various organizations. this event focus on raising the awareness and help to take action to prevent globally. This year WRD is going to be celebrate with the slogan ”End Rabies Together”
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is almost always fatal following the onset of clinical signs. 
In more than 99% of human cases, the rabies virus is transmitted by domestic dogs. Rabies affects domestic and wild animals, and is spread to people through bites or scratches, usually via saliva.
In more than 99% of human cases, the rabies virus is transmitted by domestic dogs. Rabies affects domestic and wild animals, and is spread to people through bites or scratches, usually via saliva.
Rabies is present on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, but more than 95% of human deaths occur in Asia and Africa.
Rabies is a neglected disease of poor and vulnerable populations whose deaths are rarely reported and where human vaccines and immunoglobulin are not readily available or accessible. It occurs mainly in remote rural communities where children between the age of 5–14 years are the most frequent victims.
Rabies kills nearly 25,000 people every year in the WHO South-East Asia Region which accounts for 45% of global deaths caused by the disease. Over 1.5 billion people in the Region are at risk of rabies infection.
Every year an estimated 4 million people take rabies preventive vaccines, mostly after dog bites. About 40% people exposed to dog bites are children in the age group of 5 to 15 years. As of today, rabies has no cure. Eliminating rabies is an important public health goal.
– Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
Prevention
- Eliminating rabies in dogs
- Preventive immunization in people
- Pre-exposure immunization is also recommended for people in certain high-risk occupations.
- Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories.
- Dogs are the source of the vast majority of human rabies deaths.
- Rabies elimination is feasible by vaccinating dogs.
- Infection causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mostly in Asia and Africa.
- 40% of people who are bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15 years of age.
- Immediate wound cleansing with soap and water after contact with a suspect rabid animal can be life-saving.
- Every year, more than 15 million people worldwide receive a post-bite vaccination to prevent the disease; this is estimated to prevent hundreds of thousands of rabies deaths annually.
Source of Information: World Health Organization
