Subra: Serian rabies outbreak possibly originated from Kalimantan

PUTRAJAYA: The recent rabies outbreak that claimed the lives of two children in Serian, Sarawak is believed to have spread to the country from infected dogs in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the outbreak here was likely to have originated from the neighbouring country.

"We believe the rabies virus came from Kalimantan, which is experiencing a large outbreak, and crossed over into Serian," he said.

He noted cross-border transmission was not unheard of as a similar incident had occurred last year when rabies-infected dogs from southern Thailand spread the virus to dogs in Perlis and Kedah.

"Rabies was detected in dogs in Perlis, Kedah and as far as Penang last year.

"It shows that our borders are not only porous to humans but also dogs," he told reporters at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting here Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam said that the 68 dog-bite victims from 19 villages in Serian district would be closely monitored for rabies symptoms.

He said that the rabies virus replicated slowly and screening for dog bite victims had been ongoing since April this year.

Dr Subramaniam said there had been only three confirmed rabies cases so far, including the two young children aged four and six who died on Tuesday.

He said the third victim, a seven-year-old child, is in critical condition at the Sawarak General Hospital's intensive care unit.