35 Rabies-Exposure Bite Cases Logged in Flores Earthquake Response

Labuan Bajo — Health officials have reported 35 cases of animal bites from rabies-transmitting animals in the Flores earthquake zone during the post-disaster health response, with authorities stating that all identified patients received vaccination. The cases were recorded as part of broader disease surveillance across seven affected districts in Nusa Tenggara Timur.

According to a 26 August 2026 briefing by the Ministry of Health, there were 35 cases of bites from animals capable of transmitting rabies among residents affected by the Flores earthquake and staying at evacuation points. The ministry did not publish a district-by-district breakdown for these 35 cases, and the available public data does not specify whether the cases occurred in Nagekeo, Ngada, East Manggarai or other affected districts.

The core advice for residents remains clear: anyone who suffers an animal bite in disaster-affected areas is urged to seek prompt examination at the nearest health post or medical facility. The Health Ministry has called on people living in evacuation sites or damaged settlements to report health complaints early, including injuries, so that medical teams can determine whether vaccination or other treatment is needed.

Why bites remain a concern after a disaster

Earthquakes can disrupt routine access to health facilities, medicines and follow-up care. In Flores, damage to health buildings and the risk of aftershocks led authorities to shift some services outside conventional structures while maintaining a large emergency-health response.

Ministry of Health information from 26 August states that 392 health workers were deployed across seven earthquake-affected districts. Two inflatable field hospitals were established at RSUD Aeramo in Nagekeo and at Ruteng Regional Hospital in Manggarai to maintain treatment capacity where facilities were damaged or structurally unsafe.

The ministry also reported that more than 185,000 people were staying across 444 evacuation sites in the affected districts. In these crowded settings, rapid reporting of injuries, including animal bites, becomes especially important because residents may be living far from their usual clinics and health records while medical teams handle many competing needs.

The publicly available data do not describe which animals were involved in the 35 bite cases, the circumstances of the incidents, or whether any suspected animals were captured or tested. Nor do they specify how long after exposure each patient received their first vaccine dose. These details would help clarify the risk profile of the cases but are not included in the ministry’s current releases and media briefings.

Even without that granularity, the reported vaccination coverage is significant for the health response. It indicates that officials identified the bite incidents, classified them as involving rabies-transmitting animals and connected the patients with post-exposure medical care. Residents are advised not to wait for symptoms or attempt to manage a bite without professional assessment, and to follow health workers’ instructions on vaccination and any necessary return visits.

What residents should do after an animal bite

Based on the ministry’s guidance, the first step after an animal bite is to go to, or contact, the nearest health post or other available medical service as soon as possible. People are encouraged to tell health workers that an animal bite has occurred and provide any available information about the animal and the incident.

Medical teams will determine whether vaccination against rabies is required and advise on follow-up visits. The Health Ministry has stated that the 35 documented patients received complete vaccination, but it has not publicly detailed the vaccine type, dose schedule, or specific wound-care instructions in its briefings and releases.

Residents are urged to report bites even when the injury appears minor. Official information does not establish that every biting animal carried rabies; the cases are described as bites from animals capable of transmitting rabies, and vaccination was provided as part of precautionary medical management. Seeking care quickly allows health workers to evaluate risk and start preventive measures where needed.

Alongside bite management, communities in disaster-affected areas have been asked to maintain cleanliness at evacuation sites and seek care for respiratory symptoms, injuries and other complaints. Monitoring data for 15–25 August 2026 show that acute respiratory infections were the most frequently reported health problem, with 9,668 cases recorded across seven districts, along with hypertension, muscle pain, trauma, diarrhea, gastritis, diabetes and skin conditions. These figures underscore how animal-bite cases form one part of a wider health workload during the recovery period.

Data at a glance

• 35: bite cases from rabies-transmitting animals reported in Ministry of Health monitoring for 15–25 August 2026.
• Seven districts: health surveillance covered Manggarai, Manggarai Barat, Manggarai Timur, Ngada, Nagekeo, Sikka and Ende.
• All 35 patients: reported by the Health Ministry as having received complete vaccination.
• Over 185,000 people: staying across 444 evacuation sites in the affected districts as of 26 August 2026.

Context and timeline

The earthquake, with a reported magnitude of 7.7, struck Nusa Tenggara Timur on 15 August 2026 and affected seven districts in Flores. As of 26 August, health officials reported 105 deaths, 385 people with serious injuries under intensive care and 1,287 people with minor injuries.

Damage to hospitals and health centres led services to be moved or reinforced. Field hospitals in Aeramo and Ruteng were set up to keep surgery and other treatment available while reducing risks from possible aftershocks and building damage.

During the 15–25 August monitoring period, acute respiratory infection was the most frequently reported health problem, with 9,668 cases. The 35 animal-bite cases form a smaller but important part of the broader recovery workload because every identified patient was assessed as needing vaccination against rabies-transmitting animals.

Sources

• Kementerian Kesehatan RI – Aman dari Gempa Susulan, Kemenkes Dirikan RS Lapangan Berbasis Tenda Udara untuk Korban NTT
• TrenHarapan – Penyakit Usai Gempa NTT, ISPA Capai 9.668 Kasus
• DetikHealth – Korban Jiwa Gempa NTT Kini Tembus 105 Orang, 385 Luka Berat
• Media Indonesia – ISPA hingga Rabies Banyak Ditemukan Pascagempa NTT