"Our target is to reach 90 percent by the end of 2024. (Achieving) 100 percent is difficult because there are still lots of stray dogs," Head of the Bali Province Agriculture and Food Security Service, I Wayan Sunada, stated in Denpasar, Tuesday.
Sunada remarked that intensively conducting rabies vaccinations in HPR is expected to reduce rabies cases in Bali.
He noted that the current population of dogs in Bali is around 600,021, while rabies vaccination coverage in 2023 had reached 83.53 percent.
"Let us protect Bali because it is a tourism area. If rabies cases explode, tourism could plummet again," he emphasized.
To optimize vaccination coverage and prevent rabies cases, Sunada said vaccination officers resort to various methods, such as door-to-door vaccinations by notifying the owner about on-field vaccinations.
"If it has the potential to cause rabies, we even carry out elimination to take samples and carry out laboratory tests. For the sake of Bali's safety, we eliminate dogs that have the potential for rabies," he stated.
To minimize the transmission of rabies cases, Sunada again appealed to the public against letting pet dogs roam the streets.
According to Sunada, dogs that roam around could also likely be infected with rabies.
"Moreover, these dogs tend to gather together at night, and the dogs they keep could be infected with rabies. Hence, please cage them and tie them up," he stated.
Sunada also appealed to people with dogs that had given birth, especially to female puppies, against abandoning them.
He also reminded that not all cases of dog bites are positive for rabies.
"What is clear is that rabies this year has decreased considerably. It is proven that no more people are shouting about rabies," he remarked.
His side recorded that 214 rabies cases in dogs were recorded from January to mid-July of 2024.
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Translator: Ni Luh Rhismawati, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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