Provincial Rabies Management Program - Rabies Surveillance Data

Rabies is a virus that causes infection of the brain. It is a zoonotic disease that primarily occurs in animals, but can also be transmitted from animals to humans. Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. The disease attacks the central nervous system and eventually affects the brain. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal in both animals and humans. In Manitoba the animals most often infected with rabies are skunks, cows and foxes.

Rabies is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, the Public Health Act and the Animal Diseases Act and all suspect cases in animals and humans must be reported. All suspect cases of rabies are verified in a Canadian Food Inspection Agency rabies laboratory.


Animal Cases of Rabies in Manitoba 2018

There have been no reported human cases of rabies on record in Manitoba.

The table below lists the number of confirmed animal cases of rabies in Manitoba per quarter. This table is updated quarterly at the end of the month.

Animal Cases of Rabies in Manitoba

Animal Samples Submitted for Testing per Health Region — October 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018

 

Southern Health - Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain Health

Interlake Eastern Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

First Nations Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)

Total

Number of Samples Submitted

14
11
6
1
1
33

Number of Positive Cases

2
2
 
4

 

Positive Animal Cases of Rabies by Species per Health Region — October 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018

 

Southern Health - Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain Health

Interlake Eastern Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Striped skunk

1

1

 

2

Bat

Other wildlife

Cat

 

 

Dog

1
1

Bovine

1
1

Equine

Other domestic

Total

1
3
4

 

Animals Submitted for Testing and Number of Positive Animal Cases (Cumulative) — January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018

 

Southern Health - Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain Health

Interlake Eastern Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Number of Samples Submitted

53
60
22
5
6
2
5
153

Number of Positive Cases

5
6
1
2
14

 

Positive Animal Cases of Rabies by Species per Health Region (Cumulative) for — January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018

 

Southern Health -
Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain
Health

Interlake Eastern
Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Striped skunk

4

3

1

 

 

8

Bat

Other wildlife

2
2

Cat

 

 

Dog

2
2

Bovine

1

1

Equine

Other domestic

1
1

Total

5
6
1
2
14

Cumulative (Year to Date) Numbers

Year End Totals

Year

Number of specimens collected
as of December 31, 2018

Number of positives
as of December 31, 2018

Number of specimens collected

Number of positives

2018

153
14

2017

134
14

2016

152
16

2015

130
18

2014*

106
10

*2014 year begins April 1.

Positive Animal Cases by Species - April 1, 2014 to present

 

Southern Health -
Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain
Health

Interlake Eastern
Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Striped skunk

24
17
6
1
48

Bat

1
1
2

Other wildlife

2
2

Cat

4
1
1
6

Dog

1
3
1
5

Bovine

2
7
9

Equine

1
1

Other domestic

1
1
2

Total

33
29
9
2
2
75

How to Report

To report human exposure to an animal suspected of having rabies, contact Health Links-Info Sante at 204-788-8200 (in Winnipeg) or toll-free (outside of Winnipeg) at 1-888-315-9257.

To report a domestic animal exposure to or injury by an animal suspected of having rabies (where no human exposure has occurred) contact Manitoba Agriculture at:  204-470-1108.

Report any strange-acting wildlife, stray or dead animals (mammals only) found on your property to your local Sustainable Development (formerly Conservation and Water Stewardship) office or animal control office.

Communicable Disease Control (CDC)
Public Health
Manitoba Health

4th Floor - 300 Carlton St.
Winnipeg MB  R3B 3M9  CANADA

Health Links – Info Santé
204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257