By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 21: Two new human rabies cases in Sarawak have been confirmed by the State Health Department, with both victims succumbing to the disease on Sept 19.
In its statement, the department said the first case was a 22-year-old woman from Petra Jaya here who began showing symptoms on Sept 8, including fever, weakness, abdominal pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and difficulty swallowing. She was admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on Sept 14.
Investigations revealed that the patient had a history of being scratched by a stray cat in July 2025 and did not seek immediate medical treatment after the incident.
The second case involved a 67-year-old housewife from Taman Desa Wira, Batu Kawa, here, who developed symptoms of fever, malaise, loss of appetite, behavioural changes, walking difficulties, slurred speech, and trouble drinking water on Sept 13. On Sept 16, she was admitted to SGH.
It was discovered that a stray dog bit her on Aug 30. She also had four pets who were not vaccinated against the disease and freely mixed with strays.
In addition, one of her pets had shown rabies symptoms and died, with the woman handling the carcass and throwing it into a river.
Between Jan 1 and Sept 13 this year, a total of 13,894 animal bite cases were reported in Sarawak, averaging 375 incidents per week.
Cat bites and scratches accounted for the majority, with 8,297 cases, followed by 5,422 dog bites and 175 from other animals.
Of these cases, 9,392 involved pets and 4,502 were linked to stray animals.
Since the rabies outbreak was declared in Sarawak in July 2017, 87 cases have been reported, with 80 deaths, reflecting a fatality rate of 92 per cent.
“The threat of rabies remains in Sarawak. Transmission occurs through bites, scratches, or exposure to saliva from infected animals, especially dogs and cats,” the department stated.
It further urged the public to stay vigilant and practice the following preventive measures:
- Avoid approaching stray animals to minimise the risk of being bitten, scratched, or exposed to their saliva.
- If bitten or scratched, immediately wash the wounds or body areas exposed to animal saliva (including one’s own pets) under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention immediately at a Post-Bite Clinic.
- Do not handle the carcasses of stray animals or pets that died of unknown causes and report it immediately to the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) or local authorities.
- Ensure all pet cats and dogs receive complete annual anti-rabies vaccinations and are not allowed to roam unsupervised.
“The Sarawak Health Department urges all to work together and play their respective roles to ensure that rabies prevention and control measures are effectively implemented,” said the department. — DayakDaily
