By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 14: To date, Sarawak Department of Veterinary (DVS) has recorded 94 human rabies cases with 87 deaths, including four deaths this year since 2017.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi noted the high fatality and issued stern warning.
“So the reason why people die is because they are ignorant, stubborn, adamant, you name it, whatever word you want to use. Or they are ready to die. They are (just) prepared to die.
“You can use this language. We have to be rough. People will not listen to us if we are too soft. So if you want to die, go ahead. But if you want to survive, follow the procedure of SOP,” said Dr Rundi at a press conference at the sideline of Sarawak Legislative Assembly here today.
SOP following a dog or cat bite or scratch is to wash the wound or scratch immediately and thoroughly with soap and running water for 15 full minutes. Then apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine or alcohol before seeking medical care immediately.
Dr Rundi said rabies is 100 per cent fatal once symptoms appear. The speed at which the rabies virus reaches the brain depends largely on the location of the bite and, to some extent, a person’s body size or height.
He explained that bites on the upper body—particularly the head and neck—pose the highest risk because these areas contain a dense network of nerves and provide a much shorter path for the virus to travel to the brain.
Meanwhile, according to DVS, although the animal rabies positivity rate declined from 42.7 per cent in 2018 to around six per cent in 2025, transmission persists among dogs, particularly free-roaming owned and stray dogs, which remain the main reservoirs.
“From 2017 to March 2026, 311,260 animals and doses have been vaccinated across Sarawak, reflecting the Government’s continued commitment to rabies control. In 2026, 16 animals tested positive from 428 samples collected, with cases reported in Kuching, Samarahan, Serian and Bintulu,” DVS statistics shows.
DVS’ rabies control strategy focuses on sustained parenteral dog vaccination, complemented by the new oral rabies vaccination (ORV) approach. The first integrated field deployment combining parenteral vaccination and ORV has been carried out in high-risk areas such as Padawan and Kuching.
During the recent 3-week programme, 3,579 dogs were vaccinated and 2,281 ORV baits were distributed to target free-roaming dogs.—DayakDaily
