Chile received validation for eliminating of dog-mediated human rabies by WHO in 2026, becoming the first country in South America to receive recognition as being free of the disease.
The recognition highlights more than 50 years of progress without a human case of rabies and confirms the country's capacity to prevent transmission from re-emerging.
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa congratulates Chile for eliminating of dog-mediated human rabies.
Photo credit: MINSAL
A Disease that never fell off the radar
Although no cases of dog-mediated human rabies have been reported in Chile for more than five decades, the disease never disappeared from the country’s public health priorities.
Chile has maintained active epidemiological surveillance and the capacity to respond to human exposures. Rabies remains a notifiable disease and continues to be integrated into the country’s surveillance systems, laboratories, and public health services.
A History of Elimination
The last confirmed case of dog-mediated human rabies carrying a canine variant in Chile occurred in 1972, in the city of Chillán. Since then, no new cases of human rabies caused by this variant have been reported.
Chile is the first country in South America to be validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as free of dog-mediated human rabies.
Photo credit: MINSAL
Chile receives WHO validation as a country free of dog-mediated human rabies
