Two people have died following a rabies outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), prompting authorities to intensify disease control measures and urge residents to vaccinate their dogs and cats.
The Director of Veterinary Services at the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Dr. Karnak Dandam, confirmed the development in Abuja on Thursday, disclosing that the fatalities occurred in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.
According to him, eight confirmed rabies cases were recorded across the two area councils, with laboratory tests conducted at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State, confirming the infections.
“There are eight confirmed cases of samples taken for testing at the National Reference Laboratory, NVRI, and they came out positive.
“The first samples we took to Vom this year were in March and the result came out the same month. The second samples were in early June and the result came out on June 15,” Dandam said.
He explained that rabies is a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted through the bite of an infected dog or cat.
Dandam said symptoms in humans include fever, headache, fatigue and pain or tingling around the bite site before progressing to anxiety, confusion, hallucinations and, in severe cases, barking-like sounds.
He added that infected dogs may show excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, aggression, hanging jaws, hallucinations and an intense fear of water, medically known as hydrophobia.
Warning that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, Dandam advised residents to seek immediate medical attention after any suspected animal bite.
“The immediate remedy after a bite is to initiate first aid by washing the bitten areas with soap and plenty of water and to immediately present the victim to medical personnel for treatment,” he said.
The veterinary director disclosed that the FCT Administration had carried out vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats in December 2025 and January 2026, but the exercise was limited by an inadequate supply of vaccines.
He said awareness campaigns had also been intensified, urging pet owners to keep vaccinated animals confined to prevent contact with infected stray animals.
“The secretariat is also sensitising residents across the six area councils to take their dogs and cats to designated public and private veterinary clinics for rabies vaccination and certification.
“Everybody has to restrict his or her dog and cats, so that they will not be roaming the streets and become exposed to infected rabid dogs,” he said.
Dandam disclosed that the FCT Administration is procuring additional vaccine doses ahead of a mass vaccination campaign covering all six area councils.
“Anywhere there is a dog and a cat, we will visit, vaccinate and give the owners a certificate of vaccination and licence. That’s our plan,” he said.
He also urged residents to watch for sudden behavioural changes in their pets, noting that unusual aggression, isolation, roaming, paralysis and eventual death are common clinical signs of rabies in infected animals.
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