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 2023

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 - December 31, 2023

 

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

5
4
6
1
7
1
1
25

Number of Positive Cases

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

 

Positive Animal Cases of Rabies by Species per Health Region —October 1 - December 31, 2023

 

Southern Health - Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain Health

Interlake Eastern Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Striped skunk

 

Bat

Other wildlife

Cat

 

Dog

Bovine

Equine

Other domestic

 

Total

0

 

Animals submitted for testing and number of positive animal cases (cumulative) January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

 

Southern Health - Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain Health

Interlake Eastern Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Number of Samples Submitted

35
31
21
1
14
1
6
109

Number of Positive Cases

2
3
1
6

 

Positive Animal Cases of Rabies by Species per Health Region (Cumulative) for January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

 

Southern Health -
Santé Sud

Prairie Mountain
Health

Interlake Eastern
Health

Northern Health Region

WRHA
Winnipeg

WRHA
Churchill

FNIHB

Total

Striped skunk

2 2 1         5

Bat

               

Other wildlife

             

Cat

               

Dog

             

Bovine

  1           1

Equine

               

Other domestic

               

Total

2 3 1       6

Cumulative (Year to Date) Numbers

Year End Totals

Year

Number of specimens collected
January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

Number of positives
January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

Number of specimens collected

Number of positives

2023

109
6
109
6

2022

 
 
103
15

2021

 
 
119
21

2020

 
 
109
12

2019

143
4

2018

153
14

2017

128
14

2016

152
16

2015

130
18

2014*

106
12

*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

34
29
17
1
81

Bat

1
1
2

Other wildlife

8
8

Cat

5
3
2
10

Dog

2
4
4
1
11

Bovine

6
10
16

Equine

1
1

Other domestic

2
1
1
4

Total

50
47
25
3
8
133

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 Natural Resources and Northern Development 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