Two rabid dogs confirmed in Viqueque Municipality
DILI, 28 August 2026 (TATOLI) — Two dogs test positive for rabies in Viqueque municipality, marking the first confirmed cases in the eastern municipality.
The cases were identified after two dogs bit five people in Bahalaraua’in and Uma-Ki’ik villages in Viqueque Vila administrative post.
Residents killed the dogs after the attacks, allowing veterinary officials to collect samples for laboratory testing.
The samples later tested positive for rabies, said Domingos do Carmo Pinto, head of the municipal veterinary department.
He said that the Health and veterinary authorities have since visited the two villages to vaccinate animals and take measures to prevent the disease from spreading.
The five people bitten by the dogs have received medical treatment. Four remain under observation at a health centre in Viqueque, but none has tested positive for rabies, Pinto said.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and can be transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals, most commonly through bites.
Early symptoms in people can include fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, weakness and nausea.
As the disease progresses, symptoms may include anxiety, irritability, sensitivity to light, difficulty swallowing, hallucinations and seizures.
In infected animals, warning signs can include excessive salivation, unusual aggression, changes in vocalisation and increased sensitivity to light.
Journalist: Vitorino Lopes da Costa
Editor: Xisto Freitas da Piedade
Translation: Filomeno Martins
