KUCHING, May 5: The Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS) is actively carrying out free anti-rabies vaccines for dogs, while mass vaccination programmes will be conducted in phases.
Sarawak Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said 35 out of 173 animal samples taken throughout the region this year were found positive for rabies.
“This means the public must remain vigilant and ensure their pet dogs have been vaccinated.
“If you have been bitten or scratched, you must go to the nearest hospital for immediate treatment,” he said in a statement today, adding that the disease can be prevented but would cause death upon failure to act swiftly.
He also mentioned that over 10,000 dogs have been vaccinated to date.
Dr Rundi further said that nine human rabies cases were reported this year, with seven dead.
This brought the accumulated rabies cases in Sarawak since 2017 to 62, with 55 involving deaths.
At the same time, the Immune Belt Enforcement Team (IBET) has already started village-to-village vaccination along the Sarawak-Kalimantan border. — DayakDaily
