Animal health authorities Thursday confirmed that three hyenas, which attacked and bit people in different locations in Kenya were infected with rabies.
A series of unusual hyena attacks have occurred in the country since January.
Samples were collected from a hyena that bit a university student this month in Nairobi, and one that attacked two people in the neighboring county of Kajiado.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said the confirmation of rabies in the hyenas explains the unusual and aggressive behavior towards people.
KWS issued a warning to people in the affected areas to “exercise caution“.
At the beginning of the year, KWS issued advice telling people to “try not to show your fear, keep yourself calm by talking to it”.
This drew mixed reactions from Kenyans.
Rabies is a neglected, vaccine-preventable viral disease, which occurs in more than 150 countries.
It causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mainly in Asia and Africa. Most deaths occur in children under 15 years of age.
People are usually infected following a deep bite or scratch from an animal with rabies.
It can take a week or 2-3 months or even up to a year before symptoms begin to show.
Affected people may experience muscle pain, fatigue, fever, fear, hallucination, aggression, and irritability.
Once clinical symptoms appear, it almost always kills.
No human case of rabies has been reported yet after the wave of hyena attacks.
KWS has begun mass vaccination of domestic dogs in Nairobi.
The attacks took place in Kiambu County (Juja area) and Kajiado County (Rongai, Tuala, and Eselenkei areas).
“A report of a hyena having attacked a student of Multimedia University at Maasai Lodge area of Rongai on February 5, 2024, was responded to and samples collected from the hyena were taken to the National Veterinary Reference Laboratories (NVRL), Kabete for rabies test.
“The test results from this case were confirmed to be positive for rabies on February 8, 2024,” said KWS in a statement.
In another case, a report was received of a hyena having bitten two people on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at Eselenkei in Kajiado County.
Samples were collected from the hyena and delivered to NVRL, Kabete for testing and the test results confirming the case to be positive for rabies were received on February 13, 2024.
Further, on Sunday, February 11, 2024, a report was received from a resident of Kalimoni Location in Juja that a hyena had strayed into his compound.
The hyena was later captured and samples were sent to NVRL, Kabete for testing.
The test results confirming the case to be positive for rabies were received on February 13, 2024.
“Confirmation of rabies in the hyenas explains the unusual aggressive behavior towards people that was witnessed in Juja and Kajiado.”
“The general public in the affected localities in particular are advised to exercise caution as they go about their daily activities as the necessary measures are put in place to manage the situation,” KWS added.
KWS said the role of wildlife in the spread and maintenance of the rabies virus has not been documented and studies have shown that domestic dogs transmit up to 98 percent of human rabies in East Africa.
This means that the best approach to control the spread of rabies is by mass vaccination of dogs which will lead to a reduction in spillover to human beings and wildlife.
KWS is working closely with the Directorate of Veterinary Services the county Governments of Kajiado and Kiambu to implement control measures that will mainly involve mass vaccination of dogs in the affected areas.
