The large number of stray dogs and cats in Bali has prompted the Bali provincial government to intensify its rabies eradication efforts.
The number of rabies cases in Bali is still considered high, although it has decreased compared to the previous year.
During the commemoration of World Rabies Day at Mertasari Beach in Sanur, Denpasar, on Sunday, September 29, 2024, the government and the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI) of Bali Province set a target of making Bali rabies-free by 2030.
“The challenge ahead is to free Bali from rabies,” Bali Province Regional Secretary Dewa Made Indra said during the dog and cat vaccination to Antara.
For this reason, free vaccination for rabies-transmitting animals (HPR) is intensified, including vaccinations initiated by the Bali Veterinary Association (PDHI).
There is still work to be done to realize Bali’s rabies-free target by 2030, as about 30 per cent of dogs have not been vaccinated against rabies.
According to data from the Bali Province Agriculture and Food Security Service Office, vaccination coverage of dogs, including stray dogs, has reached 426,000 dogs, or 70.53 per cent of the estimated 605,000 dog population on the island of Bali.
To achieve a rabies-free Bali by 2030, about 30 per cent of unvaccinated dogs must be vaccinated.
Rabies symptoms are changing
In the same World Rabies Day event, the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI) of Bali Province revealed there is a shift in rabies symptoms in rabies-transmitting animals (HPR), including dogs.
“The virus has undergone a slight mutation, so the clinical symptoms have changed,” said PDHI Bali Chairman I Dewa Made Anom.
The difference is evident in the symptoms. In the past, dogs were infected with the rabies virus, and symptoms included continuous salivation, fear of water and light, protective or hiding behaviours, and tail docking.
However, he continued, from experience in the field observed in the last ten years, dogs that clinically looked good. Still, clinical symptoms of rabies appeared after one to two days of observation.
He said rabies-positive dogs would also predominantly chase humans, although rabies-negative dogs do the same because they feel their territory is threatened, as is common in dogs.
Tips for getting a rabies vaccine while on vacation in Bali
Are you planning a vacation to Bali? It’s a good idea to prepare yourself with a rabies vaccine before or when you arrive.
The rabies vaccine protects the body from the rabies virus spread by animals that carry the virus. It is usually given as soon as possible after exposure to the virus.
However, this type of vaccine can also be given before a person is exposed to rabies viruses who has a high risk of being infected with rabies viruses.
Besides the many stray dogs in Bali, monkeys can also contract rabies. Previously, an Australian tourist was bitten by a monkey in Bali’s monkey forest and had to receive a rabies injection.
You might wonder how many rabies vaccines a person should receive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine is given in four doses.
The first dose should be given as soon as possible after an animal exposes you to the rabies virus. Additional doses should be given on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days after the first vaccination.
If you have previously received a rabies vaccination, then you only need to receive two doses of rabies vaccine after exposure.
For adults, the rabies vaccine should be injected in the arm area. While in children, they can get it in the thigh area.
