Since the beginning of the year, a total of 2067 people have sought medical care for injuries caused by animals, which is almost a quarter more than in the whole of last year. A total of 635 victims were prescribed anti-rabies treatment (30.7% of those who sought help, compared to 20.0% last year).

Given the current risks, an increase in epizootic (among animals) and epidemic (among humans) rabies is predicted. There is a real threat of rabies in humans in case of delayed medical care.

To prevent rabies, it is necessary to

regularly vaccinate pets,
avoid contact with potentially dangerous animals
do not touch wild or stray animals,
do not feed stray animals in places where people are constantly present.
Beware of stray animals, especially wild animals that are not afraid to approach you.

Rabies can be avoided if a person receives the necessary medical care after a bite:

- immediately seek medical attention for surgical treatment of the wounds; if the animal is a pet, ask the owner to provide documents confirming that it has been vaccinated against rabies;

- if a doctor is unavailable, wash the wound thoroughly for at least 15 minutes with soapy water, detergents, and disinfectants for wound treatment in surgical practice or other means (70% alcohol or 5% iodine solution) that neutralizes the virus; then seek medical attention;

- Mandatory vaccination is required for people

who have been bitten by rabid or suspected rabies animals directly or through clothing, even with the slightest skin damage;
bitten by any wild animals (even without suspicion of rabies);
scratched by animals suspected of rabies or in case of splashing of the scratches with saliva of such animals, its contact with mucous membranes;
that have suffered any micro-damage to the skin while working with rabid animals, pathological material or transporting animal corpses for research.
What to do with an animal that has bitten.

An animal that has bitten people or animals should be immediately taken to the nearest veterinary clinic for examination and kept under the supervision of specialists for 10 days.

Medical and preventive institutions that provide anti-rabies care.

In Kharkiv, anti-rabies care is provided in specialized trauma centres located at the following addresses:

Municipal Non-Commercial Enterprise "City Hospital No. 26" of Kharkiv City Council, 23 A, 23 Augusta St;
Municipal Multi-Purpose Hospital No. 18, 104 Krasnodarskaya St., KMKR;
Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 25, 122 Oleksandrivskyi Ave;
Municipal Clinical Multidisciplinary Hospital No. 17 KHMR (also serves children), 195 Heroiv Kharkivu Ave;
Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 3, 90 Novo-Bavarskyi Ave.
The Regional Anti-Slavery Centre, located in the Regional Clinical Trauma Hospital (266-B Saltivske Shosse, Kharkiv)
In the districts of the region, rabbiologists receive victims in central hospitals, and primary care is available in every medical institution.