Rabies Endemic in 24 Provinces in Indonesia

In 2008 there were 20,926 bite cases with 104 human fatalities and in 2009 there were 42,106 bite cases with 137 human fatalities. By August this year, there have been 40,180 bite cases with 113 human fatalities.
The high movement of animals and humans is one contributing factor of rabies spread. About 98 percent of rabies in Indonesia is contracted from dogs.
“The movement of animal hosts, particularly dogs, contributes to the introduction of rabies to previously case free areas. The consumption of dog meat is also a contributing factor because dogs from various sources are sometimes gathered first in a certain place,” Rita said.
Director of Animal Health from the Directorate General of Livestock Service in the Ministry of Agriculture, Agus Wiyono, said regions with high mobility of people and animals are at risk to rabies, for example, fishermen bringing along their dogs to sea and inter-island merchants stopping by with their dogs.
Common Local Practices
Common local practices, such as boar hunting (setting dogs against wild boars) in West Java and other hunting activities using dogs in West Sumatra also increases the risk of spreading this disease.
“Once there is one rabid dog that bites another dog, especially if it bites feral dogs, disease will spread very rapidly. Banten and West Java have been freed of rabies, but now cases are found again,” Agus said.
The key to mitigate zoonosis, such as rabies, is early detection, reporting, and rapid response.
Rita said that rabies is deadly if not treated. Therefore people bitten by rabid animals must wash their wounds with running water and soap or detergents for 10 to 15 minutes, apply antiseptics or 70% alcohol to the wound, and go to the local community health center, hospital, or doctor to receive treatment. (INE)
Source : Kompas