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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has confirmed an outbreak of rabies in the territory, following the deaths of two residents after they were bitten by rabid dogs.
The Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCTA said the fatalities were recorded in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils, while a total of eight confirmed cases have been reported.
Director of Veterinary Services in the secretariat, Dr. Karnak Dandam, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, urging residents to vaccinate their dogs and cats and promptly report cases of dog bites.
According to Dandam, five of the confirmed cases were recorded in Gwagwalada, while three were reported in Kwali.
He said samples collected from suspected cases were sent to the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State, where they tested positive for rabies.
“There are eight confirmed cases of samples taken for testing at the National Reference Laboratory, NVRI, and they came out positive,” Dandam said.
He explained that the first batch of samples was sent for testing in March, while another batch was submitted in early June, with the results confirming the presence of the disease.
Dandam described rabies as a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected dog or cat.
He warned that the disease is almost always fatal once symptoms appear in humans.
The symptoms, he said, may begin with fever, headache, fatigue, and pain or tingling around the bite area, before progressing to anxiety, confusion and other severe neurological symptoms.
He advised anyone bitten by a suspected rabid animal to immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and plenty of water and seek urgent medical attention.
“The immediate remedy after a bite is to wash the bite areas with soap and plenty of water as first aid and immediately present the victim to medical personnel for treatment,” he said.
The veterinary director also urged pet owners to watch out for sudden behavioural changes in their dogs and cats.
He said an infected animal may initially become withdrawn and isolate itself before becoming apprehensive and unusually aggressive.
“As the disease develops, the dog may begin attacking objects and people without provocation, including its owner,” Dandam said.
He added that advanced symptoms could include excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, an open or hanging jaw, paralysis and eventual death.
Dandam said the FCTA had conducted vaccination campaigns across the territory in December 2025 and January 2026 but noted that vaccine shortages prevented the exercise from reaching all animals.
He said the administration had since intensified public awareness campaigns across the six area councils, urging residents to take their dogs and cats to designated public and private veterinary clinics for vaccination and certification.
Residents were also advised to keep their pets confined after vaccination to prevent them from roaming freely and coming into contact with infected animals.
Dandam disclosed that the FCTA was taking steps to procure more vaccine doses ahead of a mass vaccination campaign across communities in the territory.
He said the planned exercise would cover villages and towns across the six area councils.
“Anywhere there is a dog and a cat, we will visit, vaccinate and give the owners a certificate of vaccination and license. That's our plan,” he said.
The FCTA, meanwhile, urged residents to avoid stray animals, report suspected cases promptly and ensure that their pets are properly vaccinated as part of efforts to prevent further spread of the disease.