September Countries and health organisations around the world are marking World Rabies Day 2026 with a renewed call for coordinated action to prevent human deaths from rabies. This year’s theme is “Stronger Together,” highlighting cooperation between communities, healthcare workers, veterinarians, governments and international organisations.

Rabies Remains a Preventable Global Health Threat

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is transmitted mainly through the saliva of infected animals, particularly through bites and scratches.

According to the World Health Organization, dog bites and scratches account for up to 99% of human rabies cases. The disease remains particularly significant in Africa and Asia, where access to vaccination and post-exposure treatment can be limited.

WHO estimates that rabies causes around 59,000 human deaths each year, although the actual number may be higher because cases are substantially underreported in some regions.

Children Remain Particularly Vulnerable

Children account for a large share of rabies deaths, especially in communities where people have limited access to healthcare and information about animal bites.

The disease is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear. However, deaths can generally be prevented when an exposed person receives appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) promptly.

What to Do After an Animal Bite

WHO advises people who are bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal to immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical care.

Depending on the exposure, treatment can include rabies vaccination and, where indicated, rabies immunoglobulin or monoclonal antibodies.

Early treatment is critical because PEP can prevent the virus from reaching the nervous system.

Dog Vaccination Is Central to Prevention

Global health organisations emphasise that eliminating human deaths from dog-mediated rabies requires vaccination of dogs as well as access to treatment for people exposed to potentially infected animals.

WHO and its partners are working toward the “Zero by 30” goal, which seeks to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

The 2026 World Rabies Day campaign stresses that no single sector can achieve this goal alone. Veterinary services, public-health authorities, communities and animal owners all have roles to play.

Bhutan Demonstrates Progress

Ahead of World Rabies Day, WHO announced that Bhutan has been validated as having eliminated dog-mediated human rabies as a public-health problem.

Bhutan has recorded no human deaths from dog-mediated rabies since June 2023. The country achieved this milestone through extensive dog vaccination, dog-population management, surveillance and accessible post-exposure treatment.

WHO said Bhutan vaccinated more than 90% of its free-roaming dog population, exceeding the approximately 70% coverage generally considered necessary to interrupt transmission.

Global Cooperation Remains Essential

WHO says rabies elimination requires a One Health approach, bringing together human health, animal health and environmental sectors.

As countries mark World Rabies Day 2026, the emphasis is therefore on expanding dog vaccination, improving access to PEP, strengthening surveillance and ensuring that communities know how to respond immediately after an animal bite or scratch.

With effective vaccines and proven prevention measures already available, global health authorities continue to work toward making human deaths from dog-mediated rabies a preventable event worldwide.