This is an indication of the level of active surveillance in this region as well as of the under reporting in other parts of the world. Twenty-five percent of all laboratory confirmed cases were diagnosed in dogs. The number of cases diagnosed in bats was the highest compared with the other continents. The majority of rabies diagnoses in animals were laboratory confirmed. All reported animal cases were confirmed by laboratory techniques.
Wildlife remains the main rabies reservoir in Europe.
Poland and Russia reported like last year the highest number of animal rabies cases of all European countries. None of the countries and territories reported introduction of rabies. The treatments, which followed exposure to wildlife species, were of relatively low incidence. In China alone about 5 million people are estimated to be vaccinated annually. 2.3.1 Human vaccines Seventy-three countries and territories answered the WSR questions on human rabies vaccine production and imports.