ANOTHER RABIES DEATH REPORTED IN SARAWAK
KUCHING, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Health Department has detected another fatality, believed to have been infected with rabies, between August and Sept 17 this year.
Its director Dr Ooi Choo Huck said that the victim was believed to have contracted the disease while handling the carcass of a pet dog.
He said that the case was among the four cases of death reported during the period; one fatal case involved being scratched by a pet cat and two more cases of being bitten by a pet dog.
“All these four cases did not seek treatment at any health facility after being bitten, scratched or handling animal carcasses,” he said.
He said that a total of 15 death cases due to rabies were reported, out of the 17 rabies cases recorded in the state, between Jan 1 and Sept 17, this year.
For the total number of cases reported this year, Dr Ooi said that five cases are from Sibu Division, Serian Division (four), Kuching Division (three), Bintulu Division (three) and Samarahan Division (two).
He said that the total number of rabies cases for the period showed a significant increase, of 70 per cent, compared with only 10 cases reported for the same period last year.
“The cumulative number of human rabies cases in Sarawak which have been reported since the outbreak was declared in July 2017 until now is 72 cases, with 65 deaths,” he said.
Therefore, the public is advised to immediately seek treatment at the nearest health facility after being bitten or scratched by a pet.
“The public is also advised not to handle the carcasses of animals with unknown infection status, including pets, and to report to the local authorities for the handling of the carcass,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
