Human rabies deaths in the United States are very rare, averaging one or two per year, with 588 cases reported between 1938 and 2018. While rare,6 people died from rabies in the U.S. between September 2024 and September 2025. Most U.S. cases are caused by bat exposures.

How common is death by rabies in the US?

Public health importance of rabies

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of human and animal health experts, fewer than 10 human deaths are reported each year in the U.S. While rabies is uncommon in humans, three out of four Americans live in a community where raccoons, skunks, or foxes carry this deadly disease.

When was the last rabies death in the US?

Canine mediated human rabies has been eliminated since 1980, and lyssaviruses have not been found in bat populations since 1954. The last human death due to rabies occurred in 1980 (following a dog bite), while the last case of rabies detected in a dog was in 2011. Rabies was detected in a fox in 2018.

How many people died of rabies in the US in 2025?

Of the two cases and subsequent deaths reported in 2025, one occurred in a child who was exposed to rabies in India through a dog bite and died after coming to the U.S.

What is the deadliest virus on Earth?

Using the “case fatality rate” metric to determine what virus is the deadliest, rabies would likely come out on top. That's because, if an infection becomes symptomatic, rabies is fatal to humans in more than 99 percent of cases. Globally, approximately 59,000 people die from rabies every year.

The Devastating Effects of Rabies

Who rabies zero by 30?

Zero by 30: the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Why eliminate rabies? An estimated 59 000 people die from rabies each year. That's one person every nine minutes of every day, 40% of whom...

Why is there no rabies in the UK?

The UK and most of Western Europe are rabies free due to the success of co-ordinated wildlife oral vaccination programmes, together with the availability of effective commercial vaccination for domestic animals2. However, rabies is endemic in wild animals of North America and in the forests of North Eastern Europe.

Should I be worried about rabies in the US?

Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is always fatal. Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies exceeds $300 million annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 90% of reported rabies cases in the United States are in wildlife.

Can you get rabies from a scratch?

Rabies, caused by rabies virus, is fatal but preventable. The virus can spread to people and animals through the bites and scratches of an infected mammal.

What virus is 100 fatal?

Rabies virus has a characteristic bullet-shaped virion structure. Rabies virus infection in mammals is nearly 100% fatal if left untreated.

What animals are most likely to carry rabies?

Raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes are the most common carriers of rabies in the U.S., with raccoons most frequently reported, but bats are the leading cause of human rabies deaths due to unnoticed bites, while dogs remain a major source globally, especially in unvaccinated populations. Cats, coyotes, and even livestock can also get rabies, though often from wildlife contact, and vaccination is crucial for pets, notes the CDC and AVMA.

What is the 10 day rule in rabies?

The 10-day observation period for a biting dog, cat, or ferret is a standard public health practice to determine rabies risk: if the animal remains healthy for 10 days after biting someone, it wasn't shedding the rabies virus in its saliva at the time of the bite, meaning the exposed person usually doesn't need rabies post-exposure shots (PEP). This quarantine ensures the animal is available for monitoring, preventing unnecessary euthanasia for brain testing and avoiding expensive PEP for the bite victim if the animal stays healthy.
 

What are the first signs of rabies?

Early rabies symptoms often mimic the flu (fever, headache, weakness) plus tingling/itching at the bite site, followed by anxiety, confusion, and difficulty swallowing, which progresses to delirium, paralysis, coma, and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, making prompt treatment crucial.
 

Are rabies shots given in the belly button?

No, the rabies vaccine has not been given in the stomach since the 1980s. For adults, it should only be given in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm (administration to the gluteal area is NOT recommended, as studies have shown this can result in a less effective immune response).

What animal cannot get rabies?

Birds, fish, reptiles (snakes, turtles, lizards), amphibians (frogs, salamanders), and insects cannot get or spread rabies, as it only affects mammals; however, while small rodents like mice, squirrels, and chipmunks rarely get rabies, they usually don't transmit it, but opossums and large rodents (woodchucks) can, and it's crucial to vaccinate pets and livestock against this virus, notes.
 

How many Americans get rabies a year?

About 60,000 Americans receive PEP each year, which contributes to the low number of human rabies cases in the U.S. (only 1–3 cases are reported annually).

Has a squirrel ever given rabies to a human?

No person in the US has ever gotten rabies from a squirrel. No matter how a squirrel is behaving, if it bites you should receive a tetanus vaccine if it has been more than five years since your last vaccination.

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