{Summary} Situation at a glance On 17 May 2025, the Timor-Leste government reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) a fatal human case of rabies from Ermera Municipality. Between May and mid-June 2025, Timor-Leste confirmed four human rabies deaths in the municipalities of Bobonaro (n=2), Ermera (n=1) and Oecusse (n=1). All cases involved individuals exposed to dogs' bites months prior to symptom onset, with rabies virus confirmed via Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Since March 2024, a total of 106 animal rabies cases —mostly in dogs—have been reported, and over 1400 dog bites or scratches have occurred, with a total of six fatalities . Access to and completion of post-exposure prophylaxis remains limited. The spread of rabies into non-border areas like Ermera signals a growing public health concern. The public health response is ongoing and includes vaccination of dogs , risk communication, training of ...
Media Monitoring for Signals about Emerging Threats