9,000 people bitten by dogs since January
By Auther Chimbgwa
Over 9,000 people have been bitten by dogs in the country between January and early April this year, with no deaths recorded, the Health and Child Care Ministry has revealed.
According to its weekly disease surveillance for week ending 6 April 2025, the ministry said there have been 9,218 recorded cases of dog bites this year.
“The highest cases were reported from Midlands Province with 102 and Mashonaland Central Province with 86. The cumulative figures are 9,218 and no deaths,” the health ministry said on its X handle.
The ministry added that 646 cases were recorded during the week ending 6 April 2025.
Of the reported cases, 140 people were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 136 by unvaccinated dogs and 370 by dogs of unknown status.
However, authorities attribute a significant portion of dog bites to unvaccinated dogs.
Only about half of the dogs in Zimbabwe are said to be vaccinated with the number said to be too low.
The population of dogs has increased significantly and more dogs roam the streets in complete disregard for standing city and municipal by-laws.
The increasing number of unattended and roaming dogs in towns contributes to the rise in dog bite cases.
Dog bites can cause rabies, a fatal viral disease, and a major health concern in Zimbabwe.
Rabies is considered to be a zoonotic disease which means it can be spread from animals to humans.
Initial symptoms of rabies in humans include fever, headache and weaknesses, which progress to neurological symptoms such as agitation, hallucinations and hydrophobia (fear of water). Once clinical signs appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Individuals bitten by dogs should therefore seek immediate medical attention to clean and treat the wound and assess the risk of rabies and other bacterial and fungal infections.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), rabies causes an estimated 59,000 human deaths annually across more than 150 countries, with 95 percent of these cases occurring in Africa and Asia.
Rabies can never be totally eliminated in Zimbabwe, since jackals and some other wild animals can be infected and they in turn bite the first dog in a chain of infections.
Local authorities have made promises that they are enforcing dog licensing and other dog-oriented by-laws, including limits on how many dogs a household can keep and the need to keep dogs confined on plots or under control.
Vaccination of dogs is the most effective measure to prevent the spread of rabies, as dogs are the primary source of human infections world-wide. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a series of vaccines administered after exposure, is essential for preventing the onset of the disease in bitten Individuals.
