Image from Borneo Bulletin/ANN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): The Brunei government has decided to prohibit the import and transit of pets from neighbouring countries, especially those that have recorded cases of rabies infection.
The announcement was made by the Task Force Committee on Zoonotic Diseases Control, a working group comprised of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Home Affairs alongside the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.
The preventive measure aims to minimise the risk of rabies entering the Sultanate by controlling animal movement.
The task force has also confirmed that there is currently no case of rabies infection among human or animal recorded in Brunei.
In a report by The Star, Sarawak is experiencing a rise in rabies cases for humans and animals, with Kampung Narum in Marudi here being declared the latest infected area.
Sarawak Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom reminded the public to take extra precautions and urged anyone bitten by a dog to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
"Sarawak recorded 13 deaths from 15 rabies cases this year, according to the state health department.
"Since 2017, the cumulative total human rabies cases now stood at 70 with 63 deaths," he said in a statement.
Given the increased cases, he said the Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) had intensified the anti-rabies vaccination programmes throughout the state, mainly in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri divisions.
"A mass vaccination will be held at the parking lot of Miri Public Park from 9am to 4pm on Aug 19 and 20," he said.
Dr Rundi said Sarawak DVS and the Immune Belt Enforcement Team (IBET) had set a target to vaccinate 40,000 dogs across the state this year, with 27,668 dogs having been vaccinated to date.
