WHO validates Chile as first South American country to eliminate
dog-transmitted rabies
[September 15, 2026]
By NAYARA BATSCHKE
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile has become the first country in South
America to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies to humans, following more
than five decades of public health “prevention and surveillance," the
World Health Organization said Monday.
The WHO said the last reported case of dog-to-human rabies occurred in
1972.
“This validation reflects decades of commitment to protecting
communities from rabies and demonstrates the impact of sustained
investment in public health,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus said in a statement. “Chile’s success offers valuable
lessons for countries working to end human deaths caused by this
preventable disease.”
Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through
a bite. However, the virus can also infect someone if saliva enters the
eyes, nose or mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Rabies is almost always fatal once the initial symptoms
appear, but it can be prevented through vaccination, effective
surveillance and prompt access to post-exposure prophylaxis.
Chile has long maintained a public health policy focused on prevention
and surveillance to combat the disease. Efforts include extensive
vaccination campaigns for pets and vaccines for people who may have been
exposed to the virus, WHO said. “These actions were complemented by
door-to-door dog vaccination campaigns, specific measures for managing
the dog population, and community awareness and education initiatives,”
it added.
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 Celebrating the milestone in
Santiago, Chilean Health Minister May Chomali praised the “ joint
efforts ” that led to the achievement.
“The public policy on rabies eradication has
yielded the results we desired as a community and as a country,” she
said, highlighting the work inside communities and municipalities.
“They are the ones on the ground, where education, vaccination, and
pet control take place.”
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Jarbas Barbosa
praised Chile for its role in demonstrating “what can be achieved”
when countries invest in “vaccination, surveillance, and access to
care.”
Human cases of dog-transmitted rabies in the Americas have dropped
by more than 98% since 1983, with only a few cases reported annually
nowadays. That progress contrasts with the nearly 60,000 people
killed by the virus every year, most bitten by dogs, according to
WHO.
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