The Department of Health (DOH) reported a significant 39% decrease in rabies cases nationwide from January 1 to March 1, 2025, with only 55 cases recorded, down from 90 during the same period in 2024.
Despite the decline, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa warned that rabies remains fatal, with a 100% fatality rate among confirmed cases last year. In 2024, the DOH documented 426 rabies cases, nearly half of which were caused by saliva from domestic pets.
The DOH also noted that 41% of the 2024 cases involved unvaccinated pets, while 56% involved animals with unknown vaccination status. The regions with the highest rabies incidence last year were:
- Central Luzon: 56 cases
- Soccsksargen: 43 cases
- Calabarzon: 35 cases
From 2020 to 2024, rabies claimed 1,750 lives in the Philippines.
Herbosa reiterated that rabies is transmitted through the bites, scratches, or saliva exposure from infected animals, including through the eyes, mouth, or open wounds. Symptoms may appear within weeks to a year after exposure and include fever, swelling, confusion, paralysis, and severe neurological effects.
The public is urged to:
- Vaccinate pets regularly
- Avoid animals showing aggressive behavior
- Immediately wash bite wounds with soap and water
- Visit a nearby health center or Animal Bite Treatment Center after any bite or scratch
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