Sarawak records new rabies-infected area

A pet owner has her dog vaccinated in Kuching following the rabies outbreak in August last year. (Bernama pic)

KUCHING: Sarawak has recorded a new rabies-infected area at Kampung Tian in Matu, Mukah, bringing the total number of such areas to 64 since 2017.

State disaster management committee chairman Douglas Uggah Embas said 22 areas in Serian have been declared as rabies-infected, seven in Kuching, six in Miri, five each in Sri Aman, Sarikei and Mukah, four each in Bintulu and Samarahan, three in Betong, two in Sibu and one in Kapit.

However, the outbreak is under control, he said at his daily press briefing.

Uggah said a five-year-old child was bitten by his dog at Taman Sanhill Barat in Sibu on Sunday.

“The test result yesterday showed the dog was positive with rabies,” he said, adding that cases involving dog bites in Sibu were still high.

He said the state Veterinary Department received 1,254 reports of animal bites from January to yesterday, 82% of which involved animals with owners and the rest wild animals.

“Most of the cases were due to provocation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Uggah said there were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in Sarawak today, with the number remaining at 552.

The death toll from the virus in the state remains at 17. - FMT