Rabies rampant in Bali

[koozemani]

Rabid Dogs Kill 78 in Holiday Hotspot of Bali | Fox News

Bali just moved a little lower on my list until this passes.

 

[DandyDon]

Wow, but there are plenty of other problems there too. From Indonesia

Rabies is endemic in Indonesia and a particular problem in Bali, where it has caused over 100 deaths from 2008 to 2010. Polio reemerged in Western Java in 2005. Travelers are urged to consult with their personal physicians and to get updated information on prevalent diseases before traveling to Indonesia. Travelers should be current on all recommended immunizations; those planning on traveling extensively should consider the series of three pre-exposure inoculations against rabies. Local pharmacies carry a range of products of variable quality, availability, and cost. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a significant risk and U.S. citizens should patronize only reputable pharmacies.

But there are pages of other warnings as well...

 

[Grocio]

If you get the vaccination against rabies first, you'll have no problem with it.

 

[DandyDon]

If you get the vaccination against rabies first, you'll have no problem with it.

Well, no one wants to have to do that, nor get bitten by rabid dogs even without that risk. And there are pages of other warnings.

 

[scubafied]

That article was from 3 years ago which puts it right before I flew out there for my IDC and a few months of work. I was there for 6 months and had no problems with the dogs. To be honest, most of the places they are having problems is in little rural villages, in which most travelers will never find themselves. You will see a lot of dogs in the more developed parts of the country as well but common sense goes a long way. If the dog has mange or just generally doesn't look cared for, stay away from it. They had just started blazing the vaccination/euthanizing trail when I arrived. Dogs in the cities who were stray or the owners couldn't be found were getting red collars after receiving the vaccine so you could tell who had received them (the collars were all the same). Come to think of it, if the dogs had a collar at all, it was a good sign they had owners that were taking care of them and were generally safe to approach.

I wouldn't let it stop you from going. Bali is gorgeous both above and below and I can't wait to return. After all, between diving, cheap massages and delicious foods, there's not much time for the dogs to find you anyways.

Don't let a dog keep you from jumping into the water with sharks.

 

[pughio83]

I agree, I would still go. Yes rabies is an issue on the island and as stated its mainly due to low stock of the vaccine, which any GP in the uk can tell u off the WHO system. It's mainly rural areas but these dogs roam and almost certainly will be in areas where tourists visit. If people cant het the vaccjne how can they sort the dogs out? now, It's Bali...tourists are everywhere! Unless mass vaccination of the existing dog population is to occur the issue won't be resolved, short of culling very dog there which I gaurantee will not be done via lethal injection like we do in the uk. More like being shot or smashed on the head. That said tourist and divers still flock to other countries to dive eg Philippines which had a higher rabies incidence level! It's an issue none the less, so I guess tourists should make sure they have their 3 rabies vaccines before travel, which buys you more time to get treatment , as opposed to protecting you fully. With the current state of Bali and the party idiots that go, u r more likely to be hit by a motorbike or get an STD than get rabies. Just be cautious and take what preventative measures you can.

 

[chillyinCanada]

. . . With the current state of Bali and the party idiots that go, u r more likely to be hit by a motorbike or get an STD than get rabies. Just be cautious and take what preventative measures you can.

So, watch out for dogs and motorbikes and wear your rubbers?

 

[gekodivebali]

Again the article is from 3 years ago...
Massive vaccination campaigns have taken place yearly since. There are still stray dogs around but I've never heard of any tourist getting attacked lately. The poor souls are usually scared of people and run away...
I would not believe that rabies is the biggest danger of traveling in South East Asia. Heard of the new strand of avian flu? Not to offend anyone, but Hypochondriacs should probably avoid traveling in most developing countries...

 

[pughio83]

Chillyincanada, I would agree precisely! Lol

 

[koozemani]

So, watch out for dogs and motorbikes and wear your rubbers?

Rabid motorbikes carrying STDs rampant in Bali!!

My mistake, I didn't realize that the original article was posted three years ago. Foxnews just had it up the other day. I think the term wankers is appropriate.