As chilly weather continues to challenge the constitution of many sun-loving Aussies, those with a little leave up their sleeves are considering flights to Bali. But a leading wildlife vet is warning that many holidaymakers are oblivious to a hidden danger posed by one of the destination’s most popular animals, the monkey.
Dr Tania Bishop is concerned that people “don’t think twice” about feeding monkeys or allowing them to jump all over them in Bali, even though there’s a risk they could be carrying rabies. Tourists are less likely to come into contact with stray dogs, but they are the animal that most commonly bites locals. Last year, 39,000 people were bitten by rabies-infected animals, and at least four people died, including a four-year-old child.
“It’s endemic in a lot of countries up north. Any mammal could potentially have it,” Bishop told Yahoo News.
Wasn’t Bali free of rabies?
Australia has a reputation that everything will kill you, but if you stay away from crocodiles and snakes, then there are few real concerns other than swooping magpies or the large and relatively harmless huntsman spiders. So most of the country’s population isn’t used to thinking about animal viruses, and when they’re five Bintangs in after lunch at the beach club, and getting a little too confident with the wildlife, it’s a recipe for trouble.
Roughly 1 to 1.5 million Aussies visit Bali each year, and until 2008 they had little to worry about as the island was considered rabies-free. But it’s believed the animal smuggling led to its establishment, and now there are regular outbreaks.
Rabies is also known to also occur in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and China. And despite the disease being entirely preventable, more than 59,000 people die from infections each year, most of them in Asia and Africa.
Is there a cure for rabies?
Symptoms include hallucinations, a fear of water, and a fever. Anyone who comes into contact with an infected animal is urged to seek immediate medical treatment.
While Bishop is not advocating for everyone to get vaccinated before visiting Bali or Thailand, she believes anyone travelling to countries with rabies should know the risks and consider their options. Because once symptoms begin to appear and an infection is established, there is no cure.
“You’re better safe than sorry, because once you’re sick with it, it’s fatal. It’s not the nicest vaccine regime, but it’s better than the alternative,” she said. “It’s important to talk to your doctor about risk versus benefit.”
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