Rabies outbreak: Order to lock up dogs, cats in Serian

Rabies vaccine to arrive tomorrow.

SERIAN: Residents of Kampung Paon Sungai Rimu and Kampung Paon Sungai Rimu Bakung here have been ordered to lock up their dogs and cats from today following the rabies or mad dog disease outbreak.

The Sarawak Health Department, Veterinary Services Department and Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) gave the directive at a meeting with residents of the villages, located about 80km from Kuching, this morning.

The residents were also informed that the rabies vaccine would arrive tomorrow, a resident, Lainus Luak, 74, told Bernama today.

“They said the dogs and cats have to be locked up in the process of detecting the infected animals.

“They also told us to inform if there is any sick or dead animal for them to examine,” he said.

Pensioner Cosmas Luak, 61, said he was willing to put his four dogs to sleep to prevent the spread of the rabies virus.

According to Cosmas, his dogs were attacked by a stray dog sometime after the Gawai festival.

“Tomorrow, staff from the Sarawak Health and Veterinary Services departments will be here again.

“We are required to register our cats and dogs and have them examined,” he said.

Cosmas said those who had been bitten by cats or dogs would also be checked, adding that it was only last week that the residents had killed dogs suspected to be carrying the rabies virus.

Three children reported to be infected with rabies remain in critical condition at Sarawak General Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Sarawak Health director Dr Jamilah Hashim said the department had not received any report of new cases.

The health ministry on Friday confirmed that three children, including two siblings from Kampung Paon Sungai Rimu Bakung and Kampung Lebur, Gedong, in Serian district, had been infected with rabies.

The siblings are a four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl while the third victim is a seven-year-old girl. -FMT