Every year, about 20 thousand people die in the country due to rabies. Let us tell you, rabies spreads due to dog bites. Most cases of rabies are reported in India and surprisingly, children under the age of 15 years are most affected by rabies in the country. There is very little awareness among people about this disease, so every year on 28 September, 'World Rabies Day' is celebrated to make people aware. Here's the date, theme, significance, symptoms, and what should be done to prevent this deadly viral disease:
World Rabies Day 2024: Theme
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the theme for World Rabies Day 2024 is 'Breaking Rabies Boundaries'. This theme focuses on pushing forward progress and going beyond the current status quo in the fight against rabies. It calls for a global commitment to breaking down the barriers that hinder access to vaccines, healthcare, education, and resources, respecially in rural and underdeveloped areas where rabies remains a significant public health threat.
How does Rabies disease spread?
Most people have this notion about rabies that it is caused only by dog bites, whereas it is not so. This disease is also caused by bites of many other animals. Let us tell you, a virus called Lassa is found in the saliva of a dog, which spreads the disease of rabies. When a dog bites a person, then rabies spreads in the person's body. If the anti-rabies vaccine is not taken within 24 hours of the dog bite, then the situation can become serious.
Rabies disease also spreads from these animals:
Most people think that rabies is spread only by dog bites, but this is not true. The rabies virus is also found in animals like dog, cat, monkey, bat, fox, mongoose and jackal. If any of these animals bites you, you should immediately get an anti-rabies vaccine because negligence in treatment can lead to death of the person.
Symptoms of Rabies
Have a fever
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panic button
Having a severe headache
Lack of sleep
What to do in case of Animal Bites?
If any part of the body is bitten by an animal, wash that place with soap for about a few minutes. After this, within 24 hours, you should get anti-rabies vaccine from the doctor. Also, if you are keeping a dog or a cat, then they must get rabies vaccination done for the animal.
(This article is for general information. Please consult a medical professional for personalized advice before opting for any remedy).
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