England team to have rabies jabs before Russia World Cup due to ‘pack of wild animals’ carrying the disease

ENGLAND’S footballers are set to have rabies jabs ahead of the World Cup due to Russia’s problem with “packs of wild animals” carrying the disease.

Public Health England rates the Eastern European country as a high-risk area and anyone who is staying should have vaccinations.

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Wolves, bats, deer, foxes, hedgehogs and squirrels have been found to carry the deadly disease which kills around 60,000 people across the world each year.

A UK government website states: “Vaccination against rabies is advised if you’re travelling to an area where rabies is common in animals, particularly if you’re staying for a month or more and you’ll be carrying out activities that could expose you to rabies such as cycling or running.”

The Russian Tourist Office in London said the event is being held in developed cities in the western part of the sprawling nation where the risk of rabies in “very low”.

The NHS website says anti-rabies vaccines cost around £120 and is delivered in three separate jabs to the arm.

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The second shot is delivered seven days after the first with the third around 21 days later.

Harry Kane scored the only goal in injury time against Slovenia last Thursday to secure England’s World Cup place.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has chosen the Russian village of Repino as their base next summer.

The 107-room ForRestMix club, on a secluded part of the Gulf of Finland and 19 miles outside St Petersburg, has been identified by the Football Association out of 70-plus venues from Fifa’s brochure.

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The hotel boasts its own spa and medical spa as well as three restaurants and two bars.

St Petersburg is in northern Russia, meaning a potential long travel to places such as Sochi if they’re scheduled to play there.

A room at the hotel costs around £95-a-night which is a lot cheaper than the £500-a-night five-star Auberge du Jeu de Paume the team stayed in for Euro 2016.