Chile eliminates dog-transmitted human rabies

Chile becomes the first country in South America to be validated by WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted human rabies as a public health problem. The milestone follows more than five decades of vaccination, surveillance, post-exposure treatment, border controls, and responsible pet management. Chile’s last dog-transmitted human rabies case occurred in 1972, and WHO confirms the achievement after reviewing technical evidence with PAHO experts. The success reflects wider progress in the Americas, where cases have fallen sharply, but authorities will maintain surveillance because rabies still circulates in wildlife such as bats.

Monday, 14 September, 2026