It’s been a while since the provincial government of Bali has put some serious efforts through a set of programs to achieve a rabies-free status for the island. This rabies-free Bali title has even been expected to be achieved since the beginning of 2015.

The government has took dramatic measures in the process, which of course led to protests from communities and organizations who are against the animal cruelty involved in the efforts to clean the streets from stray dogs. Regardless the (in some cases extreme) intense hard work put in by the related government agencies, as widely known, Bali is nowhere near to be ‘rabies-free’.

Quite in contrary, the island is on alert as the number of rabies positive cases has surfaced several times throughout this year. The most recent unfortunate events related to the subject made headlines of local newspapers this week.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, both Taiwanese and local Bali news reported that a Taiwanese tourist  returned from Bali being infected with rabies after she was bitten by an infected dog at one of the island’s most iconic temples, Pura Tanah Lot. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of Taiwan reported that she received follow-up treatment for rabies upon her arrival on October 16, 2015.

The spokesperson of the CDC also informed that the dog bite has left this tourist with several wounds on her left calf and ankle which needed 30 stitches along with a tetanus shot, a fast-acting rabies immunoglobulin, the first vaccine of the series of vaccines required, and also antibiotic shots and oral medicines which were taken when the victim was still on the island. The patient has been hospitalized and is under observation.

And in this very same week, on top of that unsettling case that has brought up attention on the international level, local newspapers have also reported another case about three victims of a stray dog bites who were then diagnosed to be positive for the rabies virus.

The incident was reported to happen in Banjar Dinas Kacang Dewa, Kamasan Village, Klungkung regency, on Tuesday, October 20, 2015. All three victims have been treated with the Anti Rabies Vaccine (locally known as VAR) at the local Healthcare Center of Klungkung regency.

The data from the Livestock and Fisheries Office of Klungkung regency reported that lab sample test results for rabies came back positive from at least 14 districts in Klungkung regency, which concludes the area as one of the island’s regions on high alert.

Statistics have reported that Klungkung has an estimated population of 10.383 dogs and the Anti Rabies Vaccine (VAR) has succeeded to be given to 9.831 dogs, while 1.404 were eliminated by the related government agency. Out of the above number, there were 16 dogs and 2 cats which were tested positive for rabies. Reports stated that both of the cats were infected through contact with an infected dog.

The first detected case of rabies appeared in Bali in 2008 followed by the 78 deaths which were reported to have resulted from the outbreak in 2009 and 2010. There was one death by rabies reported in 2013 and two deaths the year later. 2015 has been a bad year for Bali, rabies-wise. The disease has caused 12 deaths throughout this year, spread in different parts of the island.

Rabies is still lurking in the dark corners of the island. Needless to say we need to be careful, and never underestimate the urgency of post animal bite treatment, no matter how small a wound may seem. It is important that the awareness related to this case goes as far as the most remote areas of the island where rabies might happen as well. Thus, it is very important for the information and awareness to cover the entire island.

And of course, the large majority of humans would be very relieved if the whole animal cruelty scene involved in this ‘clean up’ process can be aborted and eliminated instead, but still reach a Rabies-Free Bali with the deadlines pushed to 2016, probably…