Rabies on rise in Africa amid COVID and monkeypox: a global health concern

Dear Editor, After Asia, Africa contributes to the greatest number of Rabies cases. Despite being vaccine-preventable, around 21 500 dog-mediated rabies deaths are reported from the continent each year.1 Recently, outbreaks of the disease have been reported in Kenya, where three deaths and several cases were reported across eight counties, maximum from the capital city of Nairobi.2 In South Africa, 6 probable, 11 confirmed human rabies cases, and 1 death were reported from the Eastern Cape, Limpono and KwaZuluNatal.3 The same 3 provinces were responsible for most of the 17 confirmed cases reported last year. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported an increase in cases compared to previous years.4 In Ghana, the regional health directorate published a notice regarding a rise in rabies cases in the Ashanti region, recording four confirmed and one probable case, all resulting in death.5 Livestock and human mortality have also been reported from Zimbawe, and Morocco.6,7