By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 25: Two recent cases of animal bites involving rabies-positive animals have been reported in Kuching. One case occurred at Mile 4 1/2 involving a stray dog, and the other at Bau Lama involved a pet dog.
Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng has emphasised the need for public vigilance as rabies is now affecting not only dogs but also cats.
“Also, those who intend to adopt cats or dogs or are considering taking in strays must ensure the animals are healthy and immediately bring them for anti-rabies vaccination as symptoms may not have appeared yet.
“The public must continue to be extra cautious as we do not want the rabies situation to escalate or deteriorate further,” he said during his ShallWeeTalk online session with the community today.
Wee urged pet owners who missed the mass anti-rabies vaccination campaign to visit private veterinary clinics or arrange a home visit for their pets’ annual vaccination.
In addition, he reminded individuals bitten by dogs or cats to promptly wash their wounds under running water for 15 minutes before seeking medical attention at a clinic or hospital.
“This is the basic standard procedure everyone should know, considering the time one may take to reach a medical facility.
“If rabies continues to escalate, it will become a disaster. We can curb and eliminate rabies in Sarawak, and it takes a collective effort to achieve this,” he said, calling for the community’s cooperation in addressing the issue. — DayakDaily
