By Connie Chieng
KUCHING: Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Chairman of the State Disaster Management Committee, has declared one new rabies outbreak area – Rh. Isa, Nanga Belansai, Sengaih, Julau.
Uggah said as this area was outside the 10-km radius of the infected
area that had been declared a rabies epidemic area, this was considered a new area and the 47th so far.
Infected areas included 5 in Kuching, 2 in Samarahan, 22 in Serian, 3
in Sri aman, 1 in Betong, 4 in Sarikei, 1 each in Sibu, Mukah and
Kapit, 2 in Bintulu and 4 in Miri.
Rabies had claimed 12 lives and left a child in a coma since its first
case in early June last year. To date, 93,525 dogs and 8,495 cats and
54 others have been vaccinated A total of 258 dogs and 15 cats
tested positive for rabies. A total of 16,225 persons have been bitten
by dogs since the outbreak.
Uggah again reminded members of the public not to let dogs roam
outside the compounds or bring dogs from the rabies outbreak areas
without the written permission of the State Veterinary Department.
