KUCHING, Oct 23: Kampung Sampun Gerunggang in Asajaya, Kota Samarahan has been declared a rabies infested area, bringing the total number of rabies infested areas in the state to 26.
According to a statement from the State Disaster Management Committee which is chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, four out of five samples from dogs had tested positive through the Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test for the rabies virus.
The positive cases were from Kampung Sampun Gerunggang, Asajaya; Batu Kawa Old Bazaar; Institut Memandu Cangiran Sdn Bhd, Matang; and Lorong 2H-2A Taman Malihah, Matang.
The fifth sample which tested negative was from a stray dog from the Dalat District Council, Mukah.
So far the results for 265 out of 266 samples sent for testing have been received from VRI, Ipoh, comprising 243 samples from dogs, 21 from cats, and one from a bat. Out of the 265 cases, 53 or 20 per cent of samples (47 from dogs, six from cats) have tested positive for the rabies virus.
So far, the 26 areas which have been declared rabies infested are located in Serian (20 areas), Sri Aman (one), Kuching (four) and Samarahan (one). — DayakDaily
