Rabies has been detected in a cow in the Kharkiv region: What we know so far.

In the Kharkiv region, rabies has been detected in a cow within the Zachepilivka community.

This was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as conveyed by "Dumka".

According to specialists, two individuals came into contact with the infected animal. Doctors have prescribed post-exposure rabies treatment for the affected persons.

In total, 95 cases of rabies in animals have been registered in the Kharkiv region across 30 territorial communities in all districts in 2024.

In the epizootic among domestic animals, cats account for 46.3%, while dogs make up 34.7%. Wild animals represent 11.6% of rabies cases; however, under wartime conditions, it is impossible to determine the true extent of the disease's spread among them.

"The rabies situation in the region remains tense due to a number of objective reasons. In wartime conditions, regulating the population of wild animals is unfeasible, and immunization of wild and stray animals is complicated. Providing medical assistance in areas near active combat zones is also challenging," the statement reads.

A total of 166 residents of Kharkiv have been affected by rabid animals. Over the past 11 months, 3,224 individuals sought medical help after being injured by animals, with one in three requiring rabies treatment.

"We remind you that rabies always ends in death!!! If a person shows symptoms of the disease (hydrophobia, aerophobia, etc.), it is already impossible to save them. Only timely vaccinations received after a bite, scratch, or exposure guarantee a person's life," specialists emphasized.