Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Bhutan Eliminates Dog-Transmitted Rabies; Experts Urge Prompt Action
Rabies is a very dangerous disease that is almost always deadly after symptoms begin.
However, people can usually prevent it by getting help quickly after an animal bite or scratch.
First, wash the wound with soap and running water for at least five minutes.
Washing for 10–15 minutes is recommended if possible.
See a healthcare professional as soon as possible, ideally the same day.
The first vaccine dose should preferably be given within 24 hours.
Some serious wounds also require a treatment called rabies immunoglobulin.
Bhutan’s success shows that dog-transmitted rabies can be eliminated, but people should never wait after a risky bite.
Bhutan is the first country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem.
People bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal should seek medical care immediately rather than wait for symptoms.
The wound should be washed with soap and running water for at least five minutes, or 10–15 minutes if possible.
Rabies vaccination should ideally begin on day 0, preferably within 24 hours of exposure, according to the article’s expert guidance.
Rabies immunoglobulin may be needed with vaccination for previously unvaccinated people experiencing Category III exposures.
- Who
- People bitten or scratched by potentially rabid animals, with guidance from the World Health Organization and Dr Vinod Sharma.
- What
- Guidance on immediate wound care, rabies vaccination, and rabies immunoglobulin after animal exposure, alongside Bhutan’s rabies-elimination achievement.
- When
- Medical attention should be sought immediately, ideally the same day; vaccination should ideally start on day 0 and within 24 hours.
- Where
- Bhutan is identified as the first country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem.
- Why
- Prompt post-exposure prophylaxis can prevent rabies deaths before clinical symptoms appear.
- Rabies risk
- Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear, according to the World Health Organization.
- First response
- Wash the wound with soap and running water for at least five minutes; 10–15 minutes is recommended if possible.
- Vaccine timing
- Start the first rabies vaccine dose on day 0, ideally within 24 hours of exposure.
- Rabies immunoglobulin
- For people not previously vaccinated, it is recommended for Category III exposures along with the vaccine.
- High-risk exposures
- These include wounds that break the skin and bleed, deep or multiple wounds, bites to certain body areas, and exposures involving stray, unknown, or abnormal animals.
- Avoidable mistakes
- Do not apply home remedies, tightly bandage or self-suture the wound, or wait to see whether the animal develops symptoms.
- Pet observation
- A healthy, known dog may be observed for 10 days under veterinary and medical guidance, but this should not delay medical assessment or indicated prophylaxis.