Bali: New warnings for Australian travellers amid rabies, Covid spike

Australians headed to Bali are being urged to take care after local authorities reported a worrying health trend.

Bali is facing a sharp spike in rabies-positive dog bites, prompting urgent warnings for Australian travellers to take the risk seriously and ensure they’re protected before flying out.

In Bali’s Jembrana Regency, home to scenic tourist spots like Gilimanuk and West Bali National Park, 49 cases of rabies have already been reported from January to May — just shy of 54 cases recorded in all of 2024.

Dr Gede Putu Kasthama, Acting Head of Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health at the Jembrana Agriculture and Food Service, confirmed two more cases were recorded in the final week of May.

“It’s true that there are new cases. The results from BBVet (Veterinary Center) Denpasar, there are two samples that tested positive for rabies,” Dr Kasthama told reporters.

He said the new cases involved dogs that attacked locals in two separate locations.

Bali is facing a sharp spike in rabies-positive dog bites, prompting urgent warnings for Australian travellers to take the risk seriously and ensure they’re protected before flying out.

One dog bit four residents in Banjar Anyar Kelod, Penyaringan Village, while a second, domestic pet dog attacked five people — including its owner and family members — in the Baler Bale Agung Neighborhood, Tegalcangkring Village.

“Each area had more than two people attacked. But they have received services at the nearest health facility because they reported it immediately after the bite,” Dr Kasthama said.

“We appeal to the entire community to increase vigilance. If attacked by [a potentially rabid animal], report it immediately or have it handled at the nearest health facility.”

Authorities in Jembrana have pledged to ramp up mass dog vaccination efforts in the coming weeks in a bid to curb the spread.

While Jembrana attracts fewer foreign visitors than areas like Ubud in Gianyar Regency, the rabies risk is island-wide.

Tourists are being urged to read up on World Health Organisation guidelines before travelling, and to check their travel insurance policies for rabies coverage.

Tourists are being urged to read up on World Health Organisation guidelines before travelling, and to check their travel insurance policies for rabies coverage.

Exposure includes bites, scratches, or even contact with saliva from potentially infected animals — including the many stray dogs and monkeys commonly found around temples and forests.

Immediate post-exposure treatment is essential and can be lifesaving. Travellers are advised to seek medical care immediately if exposed.

The rabies alert comes as health authorities issue fresh guidance on Covid-19, with the virus re-emerging across Indonesia just as Bali heads into its busiest travel season.

The last time Covid-19 made headlines in Bali was in December 2023, but rising case numbers in recent months have prompted renewed concern from health professionals and ministers.

Professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama, Chairman of the Honorary Council of the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association, addressed recent updates from the World Health Organisation.

“It should be noted that at the end of May 2025, Covid-19 has entered the WHO Disease Outbreak News which describes the global situation,” he said.

The professor said that global Covid cases have been rising since February 2025, particularly in regions including Southeast Asia, which encompasses Indonesia.

The rabies alert comes as health authorities issue fresh guidance on Covid-19, with the virus re-emerging across Indonesia just as Bali heads into its busiest travel season.

“WHO explained that this increase mainly occurred in three WHO regions. Namely the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, where Indonesia,” Mr Aditama said.

“The increase in cases in several neighbouring countries occurred because they have very good recording and reporting systems, even outside the pandemic.”

Tourists heading to Bali in the coming weeks are being reminded to practise good hygiene, including frequent hand washing, and to seek medical attention if they feel unwell.

Common symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath.

Originally published as Bali: New warnings for Australian travellers amid rabies, Covid spike