Bali keeps high rabies alert as animal-bite cases pass 52,000

Bali — Health authorities in Bali say the island remains under a high rabies alert, with more than fifty thousand animal-bite cases recorded this year and a significant share involving animals suspected of carrying the virus.

According to the Bali Provincial Health Office, there were 52,645 cases of bites from rabies-transmitting animals across Bali’s nine regencies and municipalities as of 11 September 2026. Local media reporting on the same dataset state that 39,193 of those incidents involved animals classified as terindikasi positif rabies, meaning the animals were suspected or indicated to be rabies-positive based on surveillance criteria.

The figures have been widely reported by Bali-based outlets citing official health office data, which also show that Bali is averaging about 219 rabies-transmitting animal bites per day in 2026. Health officials and veterinarians quoted in local coverage describe the numbers as evidence that the threat of rabies remains substantial, and urge residents and visitors not to ignore any bite or scratch from dogs and other potential carriers.

Bali is still recording human deaths linked to rabies, though fewer than in the previous year. Data presented by the provincial health authorities and carried by Bali news outlets indicate seven human fatalities from rabies in Bali up to 11 September 2026, down from 16 deaths in 2025. Public-health experts say the decline is a positive sign, but warn that the virus continues to circulate in dog populations in several districts and requires sustained vigilance.

Local reporting shows that some areas, including Badung and other southern regencies, have among the highest bite counts, reflecting dense human and dog populations in tourism corridors. In parallel, district governments and the province are expanding dog vaccination campaigns and maintaining rabies centres at community health clinics to provide post-exposure prophylaxis and wound treatment.

Health officials consistently stress that immediate first aid and medical follow-up are critical after any suspected rabies exposure. Residents and foreign visitors are advised to wash bite or scratch wounds thoroughly with soap and running water, avoid traditional treatments, and seek prompt assessment at the nearest health centre or rabies clinic, where vaccines and immunoglobulin are available according to official statements carried by local media.

Authorities also call on pet owners to ensure their dogs are vaccinated and to cooperate with community vaccination drives. Local veterinarians interviewed in Bali-based coverage say that keeping vaccination coverage high in dog populations is essential to reducing the number of rabies-indicated bites and preventing future human cases.

For international travellers, public-health messages emphasise that rabies risk on the island is manageable if basic precautions are followed. Visitors are advised to avoid contact with unknown dogs and other animals, supervise children closely around animals, and seek immediate care if a bite occurs. With tens of thousands of animal-bite cases still being recorded this year, officials underline that rabies remains a serious but preventable disease in Bali.

Sources

• Tribun Bali
• Bali Post
• NusaBali