This year alone, 32 rabies outbreaks have been counted in Europe. It is considered "the deadliest virus in the world."
The Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) warned of a staggering number of outbreaks, mainly in Romania and Moldova. In Turkey, often a popular holiday destination, the counter is already at 126 cases this year.
Belgium has been free of rabies for more than 20 years. And yet the virus is not everyone else’s problem, warned FASFC on the occasion of the 17th World Day against Rabies, widely considered one of the deadliest viruses in the world.
Can't take risks
Belgian virologist Steven Van Gucht, who studied the virus for a long time, warned about this a few years ago, at the time of media reports about "Kitten Lee", the cat that was brought from Peru by a Belgian in 2020.
"It's 100% deadly to humans and animals. You can't take any risks with it," he stressed at the time.
"At the moment, there is no test or method to show whether or not an animal is infected with rabies," Van Gucht told VRT NWS. In other words, you cannot rule out the possibility that an animal is still infected with the virus during that period after vaccination.
"It could still infect other animals and people. In the case of rabies, we always assume the worst, namely that the animal is infected. That's why we take all those precautions. You can't forget rabies is the deadliest virus in the world," van Gucht emphasised.
What are the symptoms?
It can take up to six months for an infected animal to show the first symptoms, but two weeks before these symptoms appear, the animal can already infect other animals or people, a FAFSC statement on the virus reads.
"Once the symptoms of rabies appear – increased saliva production, aggressive behaviour, paralysis, fever, headache, decreased appetite – the disease is no longer curable. Unfortunately, infection with the disease always ends fatally."
The agency reminded members of the public to have their dog or cat vaccinated against rabies if they plan to take the animal with them on a trip.
"Anyone who takes their pet on holiday is obliged to vaccinate their animal against rabies. Yes, even for a short trip to, for example, France or the Netherlands. This also applies to all dogs and cats brought from abroad to Belgium."
Last year, the FASFC counted 285 files about dogs and cats that were not brought into the country according to the rules. In most cases, it was about the lack of a rabies vaccination or an identification chip.
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If an animal has not been vaccinated correctly, it can simply be refused at the border. If infection is suspected, there is no choice but to put the animal to sleep.
Kitten Lee was also sent back to Peru. Owner Selena Ali is now being prosecuted, three years after the fact, because she had hidden the cat from the authorities at the time, who wanted to euthanise the animal.
