Bali Sets Up Provincial Rabies Task Force Amid Rising Bite Cases

Denpasar — Bali has formally created a provincial rabies control task force under a new governor’s decree, as officials report tens of thousands of animal-bite cases and continue to scale up vaccination and surveillance efforts.

The task force is established by Governor’s Decree No. 697/03-F/HK/2026 on the Rabies Control Task Force for Bali Province, published by the provincial Agriculture and Food Security Agency (Dinas Pertanian dan Ketahanan Pangan) on its official website on 20 July 2026 and updated in September 2026, with the decree text available for download.

According to that agency, the task force is intended to coordinate rabies control across sectors, including animal health, public health and community-based responses, under a One Health framework that links human, animal and environmental health.

The decree places the Agriculture and Food Security Agency at the centre of rabies control, working with other provincial bodies and technical partners to strengthen surveillance, vaccination, case handling and communication.

High bite numbers and expanded vaccination

Data from Bali’s Health Office cited by local media show that the province recorded 45,365 cases of bites by rabies-transmitting animals (GHPR) between January and early August 2026, across all nine regencies and cities.

Further reports indicate that the number of bite cases continued to rise through September, with more than 52,000 GHPR cases recorded as of 11 September 2026, underscoring the continued exposure risk for residents and visitors.

On the vaccination side, provincial figures reported by the government and national media show that by around July 2026 Bali had vaccinated 282,683 dogs, equal to 49.51 percent of an estimated dog population of 570,976 animals.

These vaccination data are part of the basis for the governor’s task force decision, which seeks to raise coverage well above half of the estimated dog population in order to bring transmission under control.

Animal-health officials have described ongoing efforts to expand vaccination through door-to-door work and mass campaigns in cooperation with regency and city governments, village administrations and professional organisations.

Task force role and One Health approach

The rabies control task force is mandated to improve epidemiological surveillance, investigate cases, support risk mapping and tighten controls on the movement of potentially infected animals.

Provincial communications on rabies emphasise that the response combines vaccination, surveillance, public education, movement controls and animal population management under a One Health approach.

Local reports also highlight the importance of ensuring sufficient stocks of anti-rabies vaccine for humans (VAR), with recent updates noting that the province has secured tens of thousands of vials for distribution across Bali’s regencies and cities.

Authorities have repeatedly urged dog owners to vaccinate their animals regularly, avoid letting them roam freely and report any animals showing neurological or behavioural signs that could indicate rabies infection.

Long-term targets and bite response

Provincial officials and local media have reported that Bali is working toward a medium- to long-term target of achieving a rabies-free status by 2030, with the new task force expected to support planning and monitoring toward that goal.

Public advisories in Bali continue to stress that anyone bitten by a dog, cat, monkey or other potentially rabies-transmitting animal should immediately wash the wound thoroughly with running water and soap for at least 15 minutes, then seek prompt medical assessment and vaccination at a health facility.

Residents and visitors are also encouraged to report bite incidents to health and animal authorities so that human treatment and animal surveillance can be coordinated.

While many operational details of the new task force are still being implemented, the formal creation of the body and the latest bite and vaccination figures indicate that rabies control remains a high priority for Bali’s government as the island seeks to protect communities and the tourism-dependent economy.

Sources

• Dinas Pertanian dan Ketahanan Pangan Provinsi Bali – Tentang Satuan Tugas Pengendalian Rabies Provinsi Bali (Keputusan Gubernur Bali Nomor 697/03-F/HK/2026)
• Media Indonesia – Vaksinasi Rabies Serentak di Bali
• Rise Real Bali – Pereezd s sobakoy na Bali: zapret i varianty
• Bali Post – Gigitan Rabies di Bali Capai 45.365 Kasus, Kabupaten Ini Catat Kasus Tertinggi
• Tribun-Bali – Update Kasus Rabies di Bali, Badung Catat Kasus Gigitan Harian Terbanyak
• South China Morning Post – As Bali battles a rabies surge, dog meat draws fresh scrutiny