Status

What is the current status of Rabies?

The number of rabies cases in Ontario has been reduced by 95 per cent since baiting began in 1989 (Figure 4). In 2005, 96 new rabies cases were reported in Ontario, down from the average 1,500 cases per year that were being reported between 1958 and 1990.

Figure 4. Total rabies cases per year since the implementation of the wildlife rabies control strategies.

Fox Strain

Before the Wildlife Rabies Control Program was implemented, thousands of fox strain rabies cases were reported each year.

Since the program's implementation, the number of fox strain rabies cases has been drastically reduced. In 2005, only 34 cases of fox strain rabies were diagnosed in Ontario. Many of these cases occurred in striped skunks which are now the main carriers of fox strain rabies in Ontario.

Raccoon Strain

The raccoon rabies control program has kept the number of raccoon strain rabies cases to 132 since the introduction of the strain to Ontario seven years ago. As well, the program has successfully contained the strain to an area of approximately 50 km radius, thereby preventing its spread throughout southern Ontario (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Predicted spread of raccoon rabies (hatched colour) if Ontario did not implement control strategies compared to the actual spread (solid colour) with control implemented.

By contrast, in New York State, which did not implement control programs when raccoon rabies first appeared, the disease has spread throughout the state with over 9,400 cases reported during the first seven years.

Due to the large number of raccoons, foxes, and skunks in Ontario, strong control strategies will continue to be implemented to ensure that a widespread outbreak of raccoon or fox strain rabies does not occur.

Bat Strain

Bat strain rabies is infrequent and less than two per cent of bats tested are found to have the disease. However, most human deaths in Canada and the United States are due to bat strain rabies.