KILIFI, KENYA – Public health authorities in Kilifi County have issued a high alert following a significant increase in dog bites and confirmed cases of rabies, prompting an emergency response from veterinary and health officials. The outbreak, confirmed on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, underscores the persistent threat of the fatal disease and challenges Kenya's national strategy to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

According to Kilifi County Veterinary Officer, Dr. Cornellious Malenga, the first confirmed cases this year were identified in August 2025 in the tourism hubs of Watamu and Dabaso, Kilifi North Sub-county. Laboratory tests conducted at the Veterinary Investigations Laboratory in Mariakani on the carcasses of four stray dogs returned positive for the rabies virus. Dr. Malenga stated that investigations link the crisis to a large population of unvaccinated and poorly managed domestic dogs. Recent incidents of dog bites have also been reported in Tezo and Mavueni.

The situation has already turned fatal this year, with a man and a woman from Chonyi and Vitengeni succumbing to the disease after being bitten by dogs, as reported on Thursday, November 27, 2025. This highlights the lethal nature of rabies, which is almost always fatal in humans once clinical symptoms appear.

National Crisis, Local Flashpoint

The events in Kilifi are a microcosm of a national challenge. Kenya records an estimated 2,000 human deaths from rabies annually, with children under 15 being the most affected demographic, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The majority of these cases, over 98%, are attributed to bites from infected domestic dogs. Despite the existence of a national elimination strategy launched in 2014, which aims to eradicate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030, progress has been hampered by significant hurdles.

A key obstacle is the low rate of dog vaccination, which remains below the crucial 70% threshold required to interrupt the virus's transmission cycle and establish herd immunity. In some Kenyan regions, vaccine coverage is as low as 10%, leaving vast numbers of animals and communities vulnerable. A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Public Health also pointed to severe under-reporting of human rabies cases, often due to misdiagnosis or limited access to healthcare in rural areas, which complicates surveillance and response efforts.

Response and Interventions

In response to the Kilifi outbreak, a multi-sectoral 'One Health' team, including officials from the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care for Animals (KSPCA), initiated an urgent vaccination campaign in Watamu and Dabaso. Following the confirmation of rabies in August, the team successfully vaccinated over 495 dogs and 22 cats. The KSPCA had also proactively opened a new branch in Watamu in August 2025 to bolster local rabies control efforts, vaccinating over 500 dogs during a mid-August drive.

County officials are strongly advising residents to seek immediate medical attention—known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)—after any dog bite to prevent the onset of the disease. They are also urging all pet owners to ensure their animals are vaccinated.

The national strategy for rabies elimination emphasizes a multi-pronged approach: sustained mass dog vaccinations, public education, and improved access to human rabies vaccines. The Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU), a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, coordinates these efforts. However, challenges such as inadequate laboratory capacity, funding constraints, and limited supply of anti-rabies vaccines persist.

Socio-Economic Impact and Broader Context

Rabies carries a significant economic burden, estimated to cost Kenya and other developing nations billions of shillings annually in healthcare expenses and lost productivity. The impact is most severe in poor, rural communities where access to PEP is limited and awareness is low. The growing stray animal population in areas like Watamu, linked to rapid population growth, exacerbates the public health risk.

The successful control of rabies in the 1970s through sustained vaccination campaigns demonstrates that elimination is feasible. However, a subsequent breakdown in these efforts allowed the disease to become endemic nationwide. The current situation in Kilifi serves as a critical reminder of the need for consistent, well-funded, and coordinated action from both county and national governments to protect communities and achieve the 2030 elimination target.