LUCKNOW, Sept. 28 -- Rabies is 100% treatable until the symptoms manifest in a patient, according to experts who also reinforced the fact that the disease can be fatal if left untreated. Rabies claims nearly 59,000 human lives every year across the world, primarily in Asia and Africa and over 99% of human rabies cases are caused by dog bites, according to international journals. Through timely vaccination and post-exposure treatment, rabies is 100% preventable, the reports add. World Rabies Day is observed annually on September 28 to raise awareness about rabies prevention and control. This year, the theme is "Act Now: You, Me, Community," emphasising collective responsibility in eliminating rabies. The day commemorates Louis Pasteur, who developed the first effective rabies vaccine in 1885. About 9,000-10,000 Anti Rabies Vaccines (ARV) are administered in the state capital at 119 medical centres under the chief medical officer's office, according to the data provided by Yogesh Raghuvanshi, district health and education officer at the CMO office. Rabies is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected mammals, with the primary source of infection varying by region, but often being dogs in many countries, especially in Asia and Africa, and wild animals in other parts of the world, said Dr Abhinav Verma, veterinarian. "Rabies is 100% fatal and also 100% treatable until the symptoms surface in the patient. Rabies symptoms in humans begin with nonspecific, flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and weakness, which can progress to include tingling or itching at the bite site. As the virus spreads to the brain, severe neurological symptoms like confusion, anxiety, hydrophobia (fear of water), and difficulty swallowing emerge," he added....