World Rabies Day: Strategies and Measures for Rabies Prevention and Control in China

Abstract

On the occasion of World Rabies Day, this review summarizes the current status of rabies prevention and control in China. It outlines key national strategies, including the establishment of a nationwide surveillance network, standardization of post-exposure prophylaxis clinics, strengthened vaccine regulation, improved dog management, and expanded public health education. Since 2007, China has made substantial progress by developing a government-led, multisectoral, and society-wide “One Health” control system, reducing annual human rabies cases from the peak of 3,300 to 167 in 2024. Nonetheless, challenges remain, such as uneven vaccination coverage among rural dog populations, regional disparities in PEP accessibility, and gaps in the closed-loop management of high-risk exposures. With the 2025 World Rabies Day theme “All of Us Can Make Rabies History”,coordinated efforts toward more targeted and technology-supported prevention are recommended to ensure progress toward the global goal of  “Zero by 30” .