Rabies outbreak claims fourth victim in Sarawak

KUCHING: The rabies outbreak in Sarawak has claimed its fourth victim after a five-year-old girl succumbed to the disease on Monday.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the girl from Kampung Ampungan, Serian, passed away at 2.05pm.

Her demise came four days after the third victim, a seven-year-old girl from Kampung Lebor, died at the Sarawak General Hospital Paediatric Incentive Care Unit.

Two weeks ago, a brother and sister died from the disease in Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu.

The Health Ministry also announced that there are no rabies cases among humans reported in Melaka and Perak.

Dr Noor Hisham said the two children who were bitten by a rabid dog at Kuala Sepetang, Perak, on July 4, were given outpatient treatment and are in stable condition.

“As for the six-year-old boy previously reported in the media to have been admitted to Melaka Hospital because of a history of dog bite in Serian, Sarawak, early lab reports were negative.

“The patient is in stable condition but further checks and observations will be carried out because the incubation period is quite long,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak Natural Disaster Management committee reported that 97 new dog bite cases have been detected in Serian, between the period of July 2-17.

Twenty-four of the cases were believed to have happened on Monday and this brings the cumulative dog bite cases since April 1 to 368 cases.

“A total of 251 people have been vaccinated and we urged those bitten by dogs in the area to turn up immediately for checks and vaccine shots,” it said in a statement.

To date, the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department has vaccinated 7,655 pets comprising 2,205 dogs, 5,424 cats and 26 other animals.

The Sarawak government has declared seven villages in Serian - Kampung Tangga, Paon Rimu, Paon Rimu Bakung, Remun, Lebor, Krait and Saroban - as rabies-infected areas.