Bali Health Officials Report No Confirmed Zika Cases as U.S. Issues Level 2 Notice

Denpasar — Bali’s provincial health authorities say routine surveillance has found no confirmed Zika virus cases on the island, even as a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Level 2 Travel Health Notice remains in place following diagnoses in travelers returning from Bali.

Head of the Bali Health Agency I Nyoman Gede Anom said surveillance data collected from district and city health offices and hospitals across the province has not identified any laboratory-confirmed Zika infections to date, according to statements reported on August 24 and 27, 2026.

The notice from the CDC is based on an increased number of Zika cases reported among travelers who had recently been in Bali, rather than on confirmed local transmission documented by Indonesian authorities. A Health Alert from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta on August 10, 2026, advised that the CDC had issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Bali due to this rise in cases among returning travelers.

Bali’s response and surveillance

According to reports citing Anom and other officials, Bali’s Health Agency and Indonesia’s Health Ministry are treating the U.S. warning as an early signal for closer review, not as confirmation of a local outbreak. Authorities have said they are tightening surveillance and readiness at health facilities and points of entry, including airports and seaports, in coordination with the national Health Ministry.

Officials have described efforts to strengthen laboratory capacity and surveillance networks, including monitoring patients with compatible symptoms at community health centers and hospitals and reinforcing health-quarantine vigilance at borders. National health officials have also stated that multiple surveillance systems, such as sentinel arbovirus monitoring and emerging infectious disease syndromic surveillance in selected hospitals, have not detected confirmed Zika cases in Bali.

In line with national guidance, Bali health authorities have urged residents and visitors to reduce mosquito breeding sites and follow personal protection measures, including the locally promoted “3M Plus” approach of draining, covering and reusing water containers, alongside the use of mosquito repellent and bed nets.

Advice for travelers and local residents

Travelers or residents who develop symptoms consistent with Zika after being in Bali are advised to seek medical care at the nearest health facility, according to Indonesian health officials. Symptoms associated with Zika can include rash, mild fever, red eyes, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and headache, and are generally described in medical guidance as milder than dengue.

The CDC’s Level 2 notice, last reviewed in early August 2026, recommends that pregnant travelers avoid Bali while the notice is active and that all travelers practice enhanced precautions to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission during and after their trip. Guidance cited in public health and travel advisories says women with possible Zika exposure should wait at least two months and men at least three months after potential exposure or symptom onset before attempting conception.

Indonesian health officials have emphasized that, as of late August 2026, routine surveillance in Bali has not identified confirmed Zika cases, while U.S. authorities continue to report cases in travelers who visited the island. Health agencies in Bali and at the national level are maintaining increased monitoring and urging both locals and visitors to remain vigilant about mosquito-borne disease prevention.

Sources

• Tempo.co (English)
• The Jakarta Post
• U.S. Embassy Jakarta
• Detikhealth
• Deep Arrival
• Travel With Wandr
• RRI.co.id