PUTRAJAYA: No human rabies case has been recorded in Taiping, Perak, since Dec 25 when two people were bitten by a rabid dog in the mukim, Health Minister Datuk Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said yesterday.
He said the two people did not show any symptom of the disease.
“The Health Ministry and the Veterinary Services Department are working closely to implement control and preventive measures,” he told a press conference here.
Veterinary Services director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam on Monday declared the mukims of Taiping and Bukit Gantang in the Larut Matang and Selama District of Perak as rabies-infected after four samples taken in the areas tested positive for the disease.
He had said that the samples were taken after a resident of Taman Sri Kota Phase 2, Taiping, reported on Dec 31 that a pet dog bit two people on Dec 25. The dog was put to sleep on Jan 3 and a brain sample tested positive for rabies at the Veterinary Research Institute in Ipoh.
In Gopeng, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the Perak Veterinary Services Department and local authorities were rounding up stray dogs and vaccinating pet dogs as a precautionary measure.
“I urge owners of pet dogs to vaccinate the animals as a proactive measure as the dogs could attack children,” he told reporters after performing the groundbreaking for affordable homes under the Naluri Perdana project by Menteri Besar Inc and developer MK Land Holdings Bhd in Pengkalan Baru.
Up to 2,166 houses and 155 shophouses would be built on 89 hectares, with 1,112 terraced houses going for between RM70,000 and RM250,000 to enable people with household incomes of between RM1,800 and RM3,800 to own their first homes, he said.
In Taiping, Perak Health, Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resource Committee chairman A Sivanesan gave the assurance that the Perak Health Department had sufficient anti-rabies vaccine.
He said the vaccine had been handed over to the Veterinary Services Department.
“I urge owners of dogs and cats to have their pets vaccinated and to report stray dogs and cats to the local authorities,” he said when contacted yesterday.
A check by Bernama in Taman Seri Kota Phase 2 found a vaccination exercise in progress from 8am.
It was learned that every house in the housing estate inspected would be labelled orange if there are pet dogs or cats there and yellow if there are no pets.
Pokok Assam state assemblyman Leow Thye Yih, who was present during the exercise, advised the people to cooperate with the Veterinary Services Department by vaccinating their pet dogs and cats.
“Pet dogs must be kept in an enclosed area and not allowed to stray. The people must be careful not to get close to stray dogs. If they are bitten, they must wash the wound and seek treatment immediately,” he said.
Kampung Pokok Assam chief Mohd Tajudin Ahmad, 60, claimed that some owners of pet dogs would allow their animals to stray when they were in heat and this proved to be dangerous to the people.
“Heavy fines must be imposed on these people so that they will be more responsible,” he said.
A resident of Taman Seri Kota, Law Tong Hwa, 70, welcomed the vaccination exercise.
“I have one dog but I don’t have much money. I was shocked to learn that the area has been declared rabies-infected,” he said. – Bernama
