By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Feb 17: The State Disaster Management Committee is looking at new types of vaccination approach for stray dogs to contain spread of rabies in Sarawak.
Its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this following a proposal from the Veterinary Services director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizar to use baits laced with anti rabies vaccine to administer to stray dogs.
“Very soon, we are going to have a meeting to chart the direction for 2020 and the way forward. The director-general told us they want to experiment with the vaccine through the feed.
“There is no need to jab (the dog) and the feed is put inside the dog’s food,” he told reporters after witnessing a signing agreement between tilapia fish producer Borneo Eco Fish Sdn Bhd and fast food chain operator Sugarbun here today.
He reminded the public to be careful with stray dogs despite some success in the recent anti-rabies campaign.
He revealed that the number of positive cases has reduced.
Uggah said this year, the anti-rabies campaign will be carried out in the city areas especially Kuching.
The State Disaster Management Committee will design a plan and provide a strategic move on how to contain the problem. The state government has targeted zero casualties from rabies by 2021 and rabies free by 2025.
Uggah added that the committee being kept informed on the latest development of rabies despite the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. — DayakDaily
