The silent danger growing in Istanbul: 123 thousand people applied to hospitals
In 2025, there was a significant increase in rabies-risk contact cases in Istanbul. Across the city, 123 thousand 538 people applied to healthcare facilities due to reasons such as being bitten or scratched by animals carrying a risk of rabies. Following these applications, a total of 411 thousand 432 doses of rabies vaccine were administered.
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Rabies is known as a fatal disease transmitted to humans through the bite or scratch of animals such as dogs, cats, foxes, jackals, and wolves.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 59 thousand people lose their lives due to rabies worldwide every year. Rabies usually shows clinical symptoms after an incubation period of 14-90 days in a person bitten by an animal, and it results in death following these symptoms. However, the disease can be treated with 100 percent success through vaccination.
OVER 120 THOUSAND PEOPLE APPLIED TO HOSPITALS IN ISTANBUL
According to information obtained from the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate, the last rabies cases in Istanbul were seen in 2007. As of 2025, 123 thousand 538 people applied to hospitals due to reasons such as being bitten or scratched by animals carrying a risk of rabies. While 83 percent of the applications were caused by cats and 16 percent by dogs, the remaining cases occurred due to contact with animals such as cattle, foxes, jackals, and wolves.
HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES IN KADIKÖY
The district where rabies-risk contact cases were most intense in Istanbul was Kadıköy. 8 thousand 483 cases were recorded in Kadıköy. Kadıköy was followed by Üsküdar with 6 thousand 429 cases, Pendik with 5 thousand 343 cases, Maltepe with 5 thousand 314 cases, Kartal with 4 thousand 993 cases, and Küçükçekmece with 4 thousand 815 cases. The lowest number of cases in the city was seen in the Adalar district with 646. Adalar was followed by Şile with 1264 cases and Güngören with 1292 cases.
HIGHEST NUMBER IN RABIES VACCINATION APPLICATIONS
A total of 411 thousand 432 doses of rabies vaccine were administered at 25 vaccination centers in Istanbul to 123 thousand 538 people at risk of rabies due to contact with animals. The hospital where the most vaccines were administered was Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital with 54 thousand 83 doses. This was followed by Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital with 39 thousand 826 doses, and Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital ranked third with 29 thousand 175 doses.