Rabies deaths rise despite goal to end them by 2030
Representational image.
Although timely administration of vaccines and necessary treatment following a dog or cat bite can prevent death from rabies, infections and fatalities from this preventable disease continue to rise across Bangladesh.
Despite the government’s commitment to achieve zero human rabies deaths from dog bites by 2030, actual figures reflect an alarming upward trend. Rabies claimed 42 lives in 2023, which increased to 58 in 2024 and 59 in 2025.
During the first eight months of the year, reports confirmed 35 deaths, demonstrating that mortality figures have risen rather than declined over recent years.
As the government-designated facility for rabies management, the Infectious Diseases Hospital administers vaccines and admits patients.
Hospital Superintendent FA Asma Khan said, “There was a shortage of vaccines in between. Also, the rate of keeping dogs and cats at home, especially in urban areas, has increased. That is increasing patient numbers. However, coming to the hospital late and not taking vaccines properly is worsening the situation.”
Doctors at the hospital added that while people take dog bites seriously, they frequently neglect cat bites, skipping vaccination under the belief that “nothing will happen”. Many patients seek medical care only after symptoms appear, even though receiving timely vaccination and proper medical care after a cat bite or obtaining rapid treatment can prevent fatal rabies outcomes.
In a ward, five-year-old Mohammad Yasin remains admitted after receiving a cat bite that led him to bite and cut his own tongue. His mother sits holding him against her chest after relatives brought the child from Sirajganj to the hospital 24 days after the cat bit him. The physician noted that he has developed all symptoms of rabies.
Health experts explained that children possess relatively less awareness regarding dog and cat behavior, frequently sustaining attacks while playing with, petting, or feeding animals. Children also face heightened physical risks because their height makes them more susceptible to receiving bites on the head and neck from dogs compared to adults, rendering an identical bite far more severe for a child.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), children under 15 years old account for nearly 40 percent of global rabies deaths, a pattern mirrored directly in Bangladesh.
A 2020 study published in Heliyon Journal titled “Epidemiological study of human rabies cases in Bangladesh through verbal autopsy” revealed that 47.27 percent of deceased rabies patients were under 15 years of age, proving that children constitute a major vulnerable demographic. The research showed that 80.47 percent of the deceased lived in rural areas, while dog bites caused the rabies infection in 81.64 percent of cases.
The study analyzed data from 256 people who died from rabies in Bangladesh between 2017 and 2019, gathering information regarding patient age, bite type, animal species, medical care, and vaccination history by interviewing family members of the deceased.
Commenting on hospital trends, Asma Khan said, “Women and children are coming to the hospital quite a lot. Children come the most. Now, the number of patients coming with cat bites is increasing.”
Emphasizing the criticality of early intervention, she added, “Opportunity to get rapid treatment is important. The disease is one hundred percent fatal after symptoms appear. After a bite or scratch, one must wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and take the vaccine quickly.”
A widespread vaccine shortage persisted through May, forcing individuals who could not obtain vaccines at government hospitals to seek care elsewhere or purchase them from private sources. While the government provides vaccines free of charge, purchasing them privately costs Tk 2,500.
Many families hesitate to vaccinate their members before rabies symptoms manifest, creating severe risks of delayed treatment, though authorities now purchase vaccines from private institutions to supply government hospitals.
Moreover, physicians warned that failing to finish the full vaccination regimen heightens mortality risks.
A study conducted by the National Rabies Prevention and Control Center in Dhaka revealed that only 17.1 percent of people completed their full vaccination course, attributing the low completion rate to distance, awareness deficits, and a lack of regular follow-ups.
