Last year saw the most rabies investigations ever carried out by Region of Waterloo public health officials.
A staff report to regional council says there were 1,642 such cases in 2025, described as “the most potential rabies exposures reported to Public Health, to date.”
It marks the peak of a steady five-year increase in cases, with only 1,209 cases in 2021.
And rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (rPEP) was issued in roughly 18 per cent of last year’s investigations, to 291 people.
The report says “this was the most rPEP dispensed over the years and is an increase from 229 (people) in 2024.”
And, “many rabies investigations have become more complex, particularly as the number of cases requiring rabies post-exposure prophylaxis has increased.”
But between 2021 and 2025, no human actually contracted rabies in the region, and only five animals tested positive for the disease: four bats and one skunk.
The report concludes by saying public health staff will keep on promoting vaccination of pets, and how people need to report animal bites and scratches.
And staff will recommend post-exposure prophylaxis to people as necessary.
The report is coming up the Community and Health Services Committee meeting, Tuesday morning.