Rabies Death Toll Rises to Five in Western, Western North Regions
- Five people have died from rabies across the Western and Western North regions of Ghana in 2026, health authorities announced on August 27
- A suspected rabid stray dog in a suburb of Sekondi attacked nine people, including children, raising fresh alarm among residents and officials
- Veterinary authorities warned that rabies vaccination coverage in the two regions sits below 5%, far short of the 70% needed to stop transmission
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Five people have lost their lives to rabies across Ghana's Western and Western North regions in 2026, with health and veterinary authorities sounding an urgent alarm over rising dog bite incidents and dangerously low vaccination rates.
Source: UGC
The figure was shared on August 27, 2026, by 3newsroom, detailing fatalities recorded across several districts.
Two deaths occurred in Wassa East, with one each in Jomoro and Amenfi East.
A fifth victim from Diaso in the Central Region also died, with the case linked to Bibiani.
The latest incident stoking fear involves a single suspected rabid stray dog in a suburb of Sekondi that attacked nine people, including children, who are now undergoing medical assessment.
Rabies: Veterinary Officer Warns of Critical Situation
Dr Simon Gbene, the Western Regional Veterinary Officer, described the current state of affairs as deeply troubling.
"We are sitting on tenterhooks. The situation is critical. The available 2026 surveillance information indicates a continuing public-health concern, with cases occurring across several districts," he said.
Dr Gbene noted that the combined dog and cat population across both regions is estimated at approximately 166,000, based on the 2009 census.
Despite that figure, current rabies vaccination coverage stands at below five per cent, strikingly short of the 70 per cent threshold recommended to interrupt disease transmission among animals.
Between 2015 and 2021, the estimated average annual dog-bite rate exceeded 78 per 100,000 people in the Western Region and was nearly 73 per 100,000 in Western North, underlining a long-standing pattern that has yet to be adequately addressed.
Health expert debunks kola nut rabies remedies
Investigators uncovered another layer of concern during their assessment: a widespread community belief that kola nuts can cure rabies.
Dr Gbene was firm in his rejection of this claim.
"This belief is completely false. Kola nuts cannot cure rabies and must never be used as a substitute for proper medical treatment," he stated, adding that donor support for a vaccination drive across affected districts is urgently needed.
Rabies spreads primarily through the saliva of infected animals, typically via bites or scratches. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Authorities stress, however, that every rabies death is preventable with timely treatment and proper vaccination.
Health officials are urging dog owners to vaccinate and register their animals. District assemblies have also been called upon to enforce stricter controls on stray and free-roaming dogs to reduce further incidents.
Source: UGC
APC's Alhaji Abdul Waheed Olajide confirmed dead
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Alhaji Abdul Waheed Akintola Olajide, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, died on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
He was reportedly between 74 and 80 years old, with conflicting accounts circulating at the time of his passing.
Olajide served as SSG under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi and was widely respected in Oyo State political circles as a committed public servant.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
