The Pasteur Institute of Tunis has reported 360 rabies-positive animal cases from January to October 2024, out of 1,634 samples collected from different governorates, according to Maryem Handous, head of the institute’s rabies laboratory.
Handous said that Kasserine and Nabeul registered the highest number of positive cases, with 52 each. Among the 360 rabies-positive samples, dogs were the most affected (232 cases), followed by cows (44), horses (27), cats (25), sheep (20), goats (9), and African golden wolves (3), a species native to Tunisian forests.
She underscored the impact of vaccination campaigns, especially the national campaign launched on September 1, which increased public awareness and willingness to vaccinate animals. Positivity rates declined “relatively” in September and October 2024.
As the national vaccination campaign concludes tomorrow, October 30, Handous urged citizens to visit the nearest vaccination points if they have not yet vaccinated their animals. She stressed that tracking hotspots is critical to the plan to eliminate rabies and maintain vigilance.
The national campaign, free and mandatory, is part of Tunisia’s Rabies Control Program, coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health previously reported nine human rabies deaths since January 2024. Handous hopes to see annual dog vaccination rates between 50-70% until Tunisia reaches zero cases in five years.
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