By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 14: From July 2017 until April 20 this year, the Sarawak Health Department has registered 78 human rabies cases.
In revealing this, Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the number of human rabies cases remains alarming.
Dr Sim who is Batu Kawah assemblyman (GPS-SUPP) said from July 1, 2017 to April 20, 2024, the Sarawak Health Department has received a total of 102,780 animal bite reports.
“From Jan 1 until April 21 this year, a total of 6,111 animal bite cases were reported with an average of 382 cases per week or 55 cases per day,” said Dr Sim when delivering ministerial winding-up speech at Sarawak Legislative Assembly today.
He said as part of the effort to reduce human rabies cases, the Sarawak Health Department has increased the number of post bite clinics from 107 facilities in June last year to 270 facilities this year, all of which are equipped with anti-rabies vaccines.
“These include 241 Federal Ministry of Health facilities and 29 private facilities,” said Dr Sim. — DayakDaily
