'Her foot swelled up 10 times': TikToker warns of dangers after Bali monkey bit her friend

Wild monkeys may be cute, but they are not playthings.

Singaporean content creator Nicole Chen, better known as Nicole Liel, warned of potential dangers of interacting with wild animals after her friend learnt it the hard way.

Taking to TikTok on Thursday (March 30), Chen recounted how she recently went on holiday to Bali with three other friends.

Two of them, who flew there earlier, visited the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud.

"When they were playing [and] stroking them, one of them bit down on her," she said.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@lielnicole/video/7215901102682737938[/embed]

Rabies, a disease transmitted through animal bites, is a "serious thing in Bali", the TikToker shared. But her friends "didn't care about it" and continued the trip without seeking medical treatment.

"S** hit the fan" when the group returned to Singapore, Chen said, adding, "[My friend] had to get 10 rabies jabs and her foot swelled up like 10 times".

While it is unclear if her friend was infected from the monkey bite, rabies is a disease that should not be taken lightly. 

There were two separate rabies outbreaks in Bali in 2008 and 2011. Two tourists were bitten by rabid dogs in December 2022, raising fresh concerns about the disease. 

Like Chen, several netizens in the comment sections warned of the dangers of playing with monkeys in Bali. 

Travellers visiting countries with known risks of rabies should consult their doctor and seek advice on rabies vaccination, according to the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS).

Symptoms of rabies include headache, feeling weak and discomfort at or around the site of the animal bite. The disease progresses rapidly once symptoms appear and death often follows within 10 days.

Those bitten by an animal should wash all wounds and scratches with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, AVS said.

They should also seek medical treatment immediately, the agency added.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com

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