Rabies vaccination efforts launched in Namibia and West Virginia

In Namibia, the Directorate of Veterinary Services has launched a rabies vaccination campaign in Ondangwa following a positive diagnosis in a dog. Under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform's rabies control strategy, a single detected case qualifies as an outbreak. Dr. Herman Nelson, the state veterinarian for the Oshana region, stated that the response vaccination program is being conducted at the Ondangwa Tennis Club and Shinime Primary School to protect pets and prevent human transmission.

In the United States, the USDA-APHIS is conducting an aerial oral rabies vaccine drop across West Virginia to combat the spread of raccoon rabies. The project, a collaborative effort involving state agriculture and natural resources departments, uses helicopters and low-flying aircraft to distribute vaccine baits disguised in fishmeal-coated packaging. The initiative aims to target wildlife, as more than 90% of annually reported rabies cases in the U.S. occur in animals such as raccoons, bats, and foxes.