Data & Evidence

Global Rabies
Statistics

Every number below represents a life. Most of those lives could have been saved. Data: WHO, CDC, GBD 2021, PLOS NTDs 2025.

The Global Reality

Rabies by the Numbers

59,000+
Deaths every year worldwide
True figure may reach 74,000 due to underreporting
99%
Of human cases from dog bites
Domestic and stray dogs are the primary vector
100%
Preventable with timely action
PEP is nearly 100% effective when started promptly
40–50%
Of victims are children under 15
Peak risk: children aged 5–9 years — WHO Aug 2025
Every 9
Minutes someone dies from rabies
Around the clock, every day, every year

Age Analysis

Who Dies Most — Children or Adults?

Source: GBD 2021 Study — the most comprehensive rabies age analysis ever published (PLOS NTDs, Oct 2025)

👧
40–50%
Children under 15

The single most affected group. Children aged 5–9 years are at peak risk globally. Most bites in children go unreported — they fear getting into trouble and don't tell adults.

Why: Children approach unknown animals, make sudden movements that trigger bites, and suffer wounds closer to the head — causing faster virus progression.
👴
50–60%
Adults 15 and over

Adults 15–49 make up the bulk — mostly men in rural areas exposed through farming. A second spike occurs in adults over 70, who often live far from medical care.

GBD 2021: U-shaped risk curve — peaks at ages 5–9, lowest at 25–29, rises again after 70.

Relative Risk by Age Group (GBD 2021)

Children 5–9 yrsHighest risk
Children 10–14 yrsHigh
Young adults 15–29 yrsModerate
Adults 30–49 yrsModerate
Elderly 70+ yrsRising again

Source: GBD 2021 — Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, October 2025.

Country-by-Country

Where Rabies Kills Most

Estimated annual human rabies deaths. Note: true figures are significantly higher due to underreporting. Sources: WHO, CDC, GBD 2021, PLOS NTDs 2025.

🇮🇳 India
~20,000

36% of all global rabies deaths. The worst-affected country on earth. ~9.1 million animal bites per year. 30–60% of India's victims are children under 15.

🌍 Africa (total)
~21,000

DRC, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola. Highest per-capita rates: Nepal (1.71/100k), Ethiopia (1.05/100k), Malawi (0.77/100k).

🇧🇩 Bangladesh
~2,000–2,500
Limited rural PEP access
🇵🇰 Pakistan
~2,000+
Widespread in rural provinces
🇲🇲 Myanmar
~1,000–2,000
Significantly underreported
🇵🇭 Philippines
425 (2024)
⚠️ Rising — up from 284 in 2022
🇻🇳 Vietnam
70–100/yr
Consistent annual deaths
🇳🇵 Nepal
Highest rate
1.71 deaths per 100,000 — world's highest
🇨🇳 China — A Success Story

China reduced reported rabies deaths from 1,128 in 2013 to just 127 in 2023 — an 89% reduction in a decade through mass dog vaccination and improved PEP access. Proof that elimination is achievable.

−89%
in 10 years

✅ Rabies-Free or Near-Zero

🇮🇪 Ireland · 🇬🇧 UK · 🇺🇸 USA · 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · 🇯🇵 Japan · 🇨🇦 Canada · Western Europe · 🇹🇼 Taiwan · 🇲🇽 Mexico (controlled)

Note: Even rabies-free countries can have bat-transmitted rabies. Travellers to endemic regions should consider pre-exposure vaccination.

Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory 2025 · CDC · GBD 2021 (IHME) · PLOS NTDs Oct 2025 · WHO Western Pacific Region 2024 · Mission Rabies 2023. All figures are estimates — true death counts are higher due to underreporting.