Rabies Outbreak Reported By Timor-Leste

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued Disease Outbreak News (DON513) after confirming Timor-Leste's first fatal human case of rabies by its Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry.

As of late March 2024, 29 suspected rabies cases in humans exposed to dogs had been reported in Oecusse Municipality this year.

The public health response is ongoing and includes dog vaccination and ensuring the availability of rabies vaccines and human rabies immunoglobulin. 

As of April 10, 2024, the available information suggests a high risk of rabies at the national level, whereas the risk at regional and global levels is low, according to the WHO's assessment.

The WHO noted that Oecusse is an enclave of Timor-Leste located within Indonesia East Nusa Tenggara province (NTT), where six human rabies deaths have been recorded.

In 2023, a total of 30 human rabies deaths were reported from NTT province.

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease affecting the central nervous system. The WHO procured 1,000 doses of human rabies vaccines and distributed them to Timor-Leste hospitals and health clinics.

In the United States, various rabies vaccines have been approved. 

Furthermore, a rabies vaccine candidate (PIKA Rabies Vaccine) reported very positive results from a phase 3 clinical study.