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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 2: An individual has been bitten by a stray dog, which has tested positive for rabies, in Jalan Chawan area recently.
Revealing this, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said from the latest data obtained from the Health Department, the cummulative total of human rabies cases has now reached 71, with 64 deaths since the onset of the rabies outbreak in 2017.
“This year alone, Sarawak has recorded 16 cases of rabies, resulting in 14 fatalities.
“The figure is deeply concerning as the death rate remains distressingly high. So once again, we would like to remind the public to exercise utmost caution,” he advised during his ShallWeeTalk online session with the community today.
Wee also emphasised the importance of seeking immediate medical attention for anyone who has been bitten or even scratched by an animal, including dogs.
“Waiting for symptoms to appear could prove to be too late,” he added.
He also reminded pet owners to ensure their dogs receive the annual anti rabies vaccination and stressed the importance of keeping dogs under control, either within their home compound or in enclosed areas that prevent them from escaping.
Wee is currently in Japan, participating in the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) International Training Workshop on smart cities for building inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. — DayakDaily
