RABIES OUTBREAKS IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND HUMAN EXPOSURES IN NIGERIA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE

Abstract

This study aims to report outbreaks of rabies in domestic animals and two human dog-bite exposures in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic, from April 2019 to 2021, underscoring the persistent public health challenge and socioeconomic burden posed by the disease. Rabies remains a significant global zoonosis, particularly impacting socio-economically disadvantaged populations in low-income countries. Eight outbreaks of rabies were confirmed in various domestic animals. These include a horse, a sheep, a donkey, a stray dog that bit two minors, a cat that bit four individuals, piglets, a goat, and a cow that was bitten by a stray dog. All the outbreaks were confirmed as rabies positive by the Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT) at the National Laboratory. Rabies has continued to circulate in domestic dogs and spills over to other domestic animals in Nigeria. While no human fatalities occurred, the estimated economic losses exceeded ₦2.0 million (approximately US$133,333), reflecting a substantial financial impact on already vulnerable communities concurrently grappling with the socio-economic effects of COVID-19. This study highlights the ongoing circulation of rabies within domestic dog populations and its spill over into other domestic animals in Nigeria. It underscores the urgent need for a coordinated, integrated One Health intervention approach, increased public awareness, and the development of frameworks for assessing social incidence, community risk perceptions, and the disease's economic toll on livelihoods.