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The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has been alerted to the circulation of counterfeit batches of the rabies vaccine Abhayrab® in India.
The counterfeit versions differ from the genuine product in formulation, packaging, labelling, and manufacturing. As a result, individuals who received counterfeit doses may not be fully protected against rabies.
Indian Immunologicals Limited manufactures this vaccine and is not registered or available for use in Australia.
As of December 28, 2026, the ATGI says Australia remains rabies-free, but travellers to endemic areas are at risk if exposed.
However, Australian travellers or residents who received rabies vaccination in India may have received it as part of pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis.
ATAGI recommends that anyone who received Abhayrab® or any unknown rabies vaccine in India from November 2023 onwards consult their healthcare provider. Replacement doses using an Australian-registered rabies vaccine (such as Rabipur® or Verorab®) may be required to ensure adequate protection.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to review vaccination records for patients who have recently traveled to India and to offer replacement doses where appropriate.
Rabies is a rare but almost invariably fatal viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It is transmitted primarily through the bite or scratch of an infected animal and is prevalent in many countries, including India.
For more information, visit the Department of Health website or consult the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
In the United States, each year, 1.4 million Americans receive healthcare for a possible rabies exposure, 100,000 receive post-exposure prophylaxis, and fewer than 10 die from rabies.
In most countries, infected dogs are the source of rabies. However, the U.S. CDC says bats have been the leading carriers of the rabies virus, along with Raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
When departing abroad from the U.S, FDA-approved rabies vaccines are commercailly offered at travel clinics. They are recommended for travelers visiting high-risk areas in 2026, such as Africa, Haiti, and Southeast Asia.
The Walgreens Respiratory Index recently reported that the United States has an overall Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) score of 6.01 out of a possible 10.
This national score suggests that many pharmacies are seeing an increase in patients seeking medications and flu shots as seasonal influenza activity continues to increase across the U.S.
As of December 28, 2025, the states with the highest ARI scores include Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Idaho.
Separately, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week (#50) that prescription antiviral drugs for the flu can effectively treat flu illness. These medications should be started as soon as possible and are particularly important for patients at higher risk for complications related to the flu.
The CDC also recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older who has not yet received a vaccine this season get an annual influenza vaccine.
About 130 million doses of various influenza vaccines have been distributed to pharmacies and clinics in preparation for the peak of the flu season in early 2026.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in South Asia, where the virus continues to pose a public health challenge despite strong containment efforts by national authorities.
First identified after an outbreak in Malaysia, an outbreak occurred in Bangladesh in 2001, and human NiV cases have been confirmed nearly every year in the country.
To date, the WHO Disease Outbreak News (577) reports that Bangladesh has documented 347 cases through its established surveillance system, with a case fatality rate of 71.7%.
In 2025, Neighboring India reported four confirmed NiV cases in Kerala state, including two deaths, across Malappuram and Palakkad districts—the first recorded cases in Palakkad.
Kerala's health authorities, through the Information and Public Relations Department, promptly issued alerts, traced contacts, and intensified containment measures, preventing wider spread.
The WHO currently assesses the public health risk from NiV as moderate at national and regional levels, given the high fatality rate and challenges in early detection.
However, the risk of international spread remains low, with no confirmed cases outside the affected areas in Asia.
Furthermore, the WHO advises travelers and residents in affected regions to avoid raw date palm products during the season and to seek immediate medical care for symptoms such as fever, headache, or respiratory issues.
Unfortunately, as of December 27, 2025, the WHO reports that no specific drugs or vaccines exist.
In a significant advancement against the deadly virus, the University of Oxford announced on December 15, 2025, that it has launched the world's first Phase II clinical trial of its ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine candidate in Bangladesh.
In recognition of the urgent need for a Nipah virus vaccine and the compelling early data, the European Medicines Agency granted the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine PRIME designation in June 2025. This designation aims to expedite the development and regulatory review processes for medicines that address unmet medical needs.
The ChAdOx NipahB vaccine was manufactured for this clinical trial by the Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, in collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
Vax-Before-Travel lists additional Nipah virus vaccine candidates.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria continues confronting a multi-year outbreak of Lassa fever that is causing substantial fatalities. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) Epidemiological Week 50, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) rose to 18.2%
The CFR is higher than the 16.5% recorded during 2024.
As of December 14, 2025, a total of 1,097 confirmed cases with 201 deaths have been reported during 2025. Confirmed cases have been reported in 21 States, with most cases reported from Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba.
The virus was later identified in the town of Lassa, Nigeria, in 1969, and has become endemic in parts of West Africa, particularly Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, where the animal reservoir, the Mastomys rat, is common. Infected rats shed the Lassa virus in their urine and faeces.
Without an approved Lassa fever vaccine candidate available in 2025, the U.S. CDC recommends various travel vaccinations before visiting the West African country of Nigeria.
The Government of Canada recently updated its Travel Health Notice with various information Canadians should consider when planning a visit to the United States.
On December 24, 2025, Canada advised travelers to take normal security precautions in the USA. And within large urban areas, violent crime more commonly occurs in specific neighbourhoods.
From a health perspective, Canada recommends talking to a healthcare provider or visiting a travel health clinic, preferably 6 weeks before your trip, to get personalized health advice. Even if your travel date is coming up soon, it's still worthwhile to make an appointment.
Previously, Canada issued measles travel advice on November 13, 2025.
And regarding routine vaccinations, Canada says make sure you are up-to-date before you travel, no matter where you're going in the USA.
These may include vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella, meningococcal, and others.
Conversely, the U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 1, Exercise normal precautions when visiting Canada in 2025. Travelers can review the latest Travel Advisory about Canada at this link.
However, before traveling north this winter, the U.S. CDC has highlighted Canada's extensive measles outbreaks in 2025, and recommends vaccinations before visiting outbreak areas.
Florida's detections of international travel-associated Chikungunya Fever cases increased last week, with 44 new cases.
According to the Florida Department of Health's Arbovirus Surveillance Week #51 report, 250 travel-associated Chikungunya cases have been reported in 2025.
The leading Florida counties reporting these cases are Broward (23) and Miami-Dade (159).
The vast majority of Chikungunya cases had visited Cuba (238).
The positive news from Florida Health is that, as of December 26, 2025, no locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted Chikungunya cases have been reported.
To alert travelers of this serious health risk, the U.S. CDC has issued a Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Health Notice regarding Cuba's multi-month Chikungunya outbreak in 2025.
The CDC says that if travelers plan to visit an area with a Chikungunya outbreak in 2025 or 2026, they should speak with a travel vaccine advisor about immunization options since Chikungunya is a vaccine-preventable disease.
The first detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) for the 2025-2026 summer season has been confirmed in a mosquito near Horsham Rural City Council, Victoria.
While rare, the Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) says JEV spreads through bites from infected mosquitoes and can cause severe brain inflammation (encephalitis). It is fatal in about 1 in 250 patients.
Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Dr Caroline McElnay, said in a press release, "Mosquitoes can bite anyone, but people living, working or spending time outdoors in northern Victoria – especially near rivers – may be at higher risk."
"Simple actions like wearing repellent, covering up, and limiting outdoor activities at dawn and dusk can help reduce your risk."
JEV is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in 24 countries in the Pacific/Oceania Regions, exposing more than 3 billion people to infection risks.
As of December 24, 2025, nine JEV cases and five deaths were reported in Australia during the 2024–25 summer, with many more cases likely going unreported because, in most instances, people don't have any symptoms.
In 2022, JEV was detected in south-eastern Australia for the first time, with 45 human cases and seven deaths reported.
The ACDC has written that an effective preventive vaccine for JEV is available for people at higher risk of contracting the virus in Australia. If you are not eligible for a free JEV vaccine but are at higher risk, you can talk to your healthcare professional about buying one privately.
When departing from the United States, JEV vaccines are commercially offered at travel vaccine clinics.
Furthermore, the risk of JE introduction into the U.S. may be highest in California due to the frequency of international arrivals from Asia and Australia and the abundance of mosquitoes.
Chicago Health Officials recently confirmed that a dog living in a Chicago household tested positive for rabies, a fatal but vaccine-preventable viral disease.
This marks the first rabid dog identified in Cook County since before 1964 and the first in the state of Illinois since 1994. The last human case of rabies in Illinois was reported in 2021.
On December 19, 2025, the Chicago Department of Public Health, Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control, and the Illinois Department of Public Health stated they are actively investigating the case and coordinating all necessary follow-up actions.
The risk to the general public and to pets remains low, wrote CDPH.
However, as a preventive measure, CDPH recommends rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) when appropriate for those in direct contact with individuals who may have been exposed to the dog.
The health department says rabies is a disease that affects the nervous system and is typically transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, most commonly via bat bites in the United States. Normally, about 3-4% of tested bats are positive for rabies each year in Illinois.
Health officials emphasize the importance of vaccinating pets against rabies and avoiding contact with unfamiliar or stray animals. Residents are reminded to ensure all dogs, cats, and ferrets are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations as required by law.
Rabies vaccines for PEP are offered at pharmacies and clinics in the USA.
For more information on rabies prevention, visit the CDPH website at www.chicago.gov/cdph or contact CCARC at (708) 974-6140.
