GEORGE TOWN: Penang has tasked its agencies to ready preventative measures against rabies after Kedah reported its first human rabies case in 28 years on Sunday (Sept 27).
Health committee chairman Daniel Gooi said the state government had instructed its Health and Veterinary Departments to cooperate on preventative measures against rabies.
"Kedah is a neighbouring state and it is important to look into how we can control and prevent such a situation here," he said during a press conference held at Komtar on Monday.
With dogs and cats being prevalent in society and able to carry and transmit rabies, Gooi urged the public to seek immediate medical help if bitten by such animals.
State Health Department director Dr Zulhizzam Abdullah assured the department would be working with the state Veterinary Department on surveillance and control mechanisms.
Meanwhile, he advised the public to immediately wash bite wounds with running water and soap, especially if bitten by unvaccinated dogs or cats or those that looked unwell.
"Wash it for a few minutes to remove the saliva on the wound, as it carries the virus. We do not want the animal's saliva to remain on the person's wound. Then immediately go to the nearest hospital for treatment,” he said in the same press conference.
He cautioned that while rabies was treatable with a vaccine, it must be done quickly.
It was reported that a 31-year-old man who died on Sunday after being bitten by a stray dog in August is Kedah’s first human rabies case since 1998.
On Sept 18, the victim began experiencing fatigue, weakness and numbness in the right upper limb.
The symptoms progressed to difficulty swallowing, hydrophobia, aerophobia, anxiety and behavioural changes last Tuesday, consistent with the clinical manifestations of rabies.
Clinical samples taken were then confirmed positive for rabies.
