SANTIAGO, Chile — 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.

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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