KUCHING: ‘Ops Rabies 2019’ has greatly helped reduced the number of rabies-positive cases in several areas in the state, and no new area has been declared rabies-infected since last July.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said so far 63 areas in the state have been declared as rabies-infected areas — seven in Kuching, Sri Aman (5), Sibu (2), Miri (6), Sarikei (5), Kapit (1), Bintulu (4), Samarahan (4), Mukah (4), Betong (4) and Serian (22).
“We hope the decrease in rabies-positive cases is due to the success of the anti-rabies operation,” he said during his Ops Rabies Sarawak 2020 keynote address during a ceremony at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) last Sunday night.
As such, he said the government would continue the state-wide operation against rabies beginning next month.
“Despite various challenges during the operation, we hope the public would continue to support and work with us,” he said.
He revealed that the operation this year had cost RM22.9 million, of which RM14.9 million was from the state government, and RM8.9 million from the federal government.
During the mass vaccination programme carried out from Lundu to Limbang area this year, 33,940 dogs were vaccinated while 10,855 strays were removed.
“To date, 150,548 or 74 per cent of the estimated 205,000 dogs throughout the state have been vaccinated,” he said.
Over the next few years, he said, the state would continue to assist the people with the vaccination programme.
“The anti-rabies vaccine is only effective for twelve months, so it is important to get pets revaccinated after one year,” he said.
The first rabies case was detected in 2017, and 20 deaths were reported since.
Last February, the state’s rabies outbreak was declared a Level II Disaster by the SDMC.
