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fter four months with no reported cases, rabies, which has gripped the resort island in an epidemic since 2008, struck again this week, killing a teenager in Gianyar regency.

The death brings the total death toll since 2008 to 137, and this year’s death toll to 23.

The victim was identified as Anak Agung Gede Wisnu, an 18-year-old native of Badung village in Payangan subdistrict.

Physicians at Sanglah Central Hospital pronounced him dead Sunday evening, only a few hours after he had arrived at the island’s number-one referral facility for rabies.

His family stated that the boy had been bitten on his left arm by a stray dog six months ago.

“Unfortunately, he did not have a rabies vaccine [VAR] after the incident,” Sanglah spokesperson Kadek Nariyantha said.

He disclosed that the victim had already been in a very severe condition when he was admitted to Sanglah Hospital.

“He passed away after a brief treatment,” he added.

The victim showed symptoms associated with advanced stage rabies, including hydrophobia, high fever, seizure and excessive salivation.

“We are still waiting for the laboratory results of samples taken from the victim,” he said, adding that the body of the boy had been returned to his family.

Nariyantha said that he wished to remind the public that Sanglah still has an adequate stock of VAR and that anyone who had been bitten by a dog should be vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Everyday we receive individuals who want the VAR inoculation. The number of people seeking VAR, however, is far less than last year,” he said.

So far this year, 28 people have been treated for rabies at Sanglah.

Provincial health agency data shows that this year, 23 people, including Wisnu, have died from rabies. The disease killed four people in 2008, 28 in 2009 and 82 in 2010.

Bali Animal Husbandry Agency senior official I Wayan Mardiana said that the agency had received reports about dogs biting humans in Payangan.

Yet, none of them mentioned that the involved dogs had been tested positive for rabies.

“We have sent a team to that region to search for dogs with rabies symptoms,” he said.

JP/Luh De Suriyani