Key Points

• China Update - Rabies cases rose in 2025 (233 deaths), highlighting the need for continued vigilance and vaccination.

• The Golden Rule - Avoid all contact with animals while travelling. Do not pat dogs, pick up cats or feed monkeys.

• Urgent Action Required - If bitten or scratched, wash the wound immediately with soapy water and seek medical attention without delay.

• It is Preventable - While rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, it is 100% preventable with prompt post-exposure prophylaxis.

Current Rabies Trends and Vaccination Challenges in China

According to data released by The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 233 individuals died from rabies in 2025.  While this figure is much lower than the peak numbers of 2007 (more than 3,000), it is still a lot more than those for 2024.  China implemented a national prevention program in 2006, and this has seen a major decline in cases.  Concerns are now focused on falling pet vaccination rates in a background of rising ownership. China aims to have at least 70% of dogs and cats vaccinated.

The current program also focusses on community education programs regarding urgent wound management and the importance of postexposure prophylaxis.

Historical data and grassroots prevention

A study of human rabies in China was published in 2016. It identified almost 121,000 cases of human rabies between 1960 and 2014. Cases were reported from all provinces but greater in the east and southern regions. Older male agricultural workers were identified as the main victims at this time. The authors identified rabies as a major public health issue.

The Global Alliance on Rabies Control (GARC) has been active globally since 2007. It empowers local people to be proactive in ways to reduce the burden of rabies in their communities. It is a “grass roots” organization and is active in many countries globally. Their vision is a world free from dog rabies.

According to GARC, “Rabies is 100% preventable”. 

The alliance is active in China - see their rabies elimination progress.

Rabies Risk for International Travellers

Deaths due to rabies are occasionally reported amongst travellers. In June 2025, Healthy Travel reported on the death of a British traveller who was bitten by a stray dog on a beach in Morocco. Read Rabies risk when travelling - Don’t delay medical attention after exposure.

The disturbing feature of all cases in travellers is the failure to seek medical advice after a “warm blooded furry animal” exposure.  

The need for urgent medical advice in the event of exposure should always be part of any pre-travel advice for travellers to rabies endemic countries.  The consideration of a course of a course of pre-travel rabies vaccinations should be based on individual circumstances.

Understanding the Global Burden of Rabies

Rabies occurs in more than 150 countries worldwide with dogs responsible for more than 99% of human cases. WHO provides a map on the global burden of dog transmitted disease. 

Over half the deaths are in children under 15 years.  Children are more likely to be savaged around the head and neck region. The proximity to the central nervous system can mean a shorter period before symptomatic disease. The disease is almost invariably fatal once symptoms occur.

It is estimated that more than 50,000 people die of rabies annually and many deaths go unreported.  Three or four traveller deaths are reported each year. 

Rabies deaths are preventable. 

Excellent vaccines are available for long term protection and post-exposure prophylaxis is very effective, in the event of an exposure.  

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) an estimated 29 million people receive post exposure prophylaxis for rabies every year.

Simple Rules for Rabies Prevention and Care

The risk of exposure can be dramatically reduced by just following some simple rules. 

Do not:

• pat dogs
• pick up pussy cats
• feed monkeys

The message is a simple one: Do not engage with animals while overseas.

If you are unfortunate to have an exposure, seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Prompt management of the wound is also vital. It should be gently cleaned with copious amounts of soapy water before applying a virucidal solution like povidone-iodine. This also helps to reduce the risk of bacterial secondary infection. 

The Australian Immunisation Handbook provides very useful advice on the management of a possible exposure to rabies or lyssavirus. There are 3 categories of exposure.