Dept mulls vaccine-belt to curb spread of disease in Serian
PUTRAJAYA: A vaccine-belt has been proposed to contain the spread of rabies i n Serian, Sarawak, where six villages have been affected by the disease.
The Veterinary Services Department estimated that there were some 4,000 dogs and cats in the district located about 80km north of Kuching.
Its director-general, Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam, said pets with licences within the vaccine-belt would be required to go for mandatory vaccinations to protect them from rabies.
“We also don’t allow the animals to roam freely outside the house compound of the owners,” he said.
Dr Quaza said his team was monitoring the situation i n Sarawak and 20,000 vaccines were kept on standby.
“We have used 6,000 vaccines since the outbreak in Serian last month. We have enough vaccine supplies to ‘pull through’.”
He said 33 samples were col- lected, and three dogs and a cat tested positive for rabies.
“Though the population of stray dogs may not be significant in Sarawak, I advise pet owners to keep their pet dogs and cats at home during the outbreak.
“More samples will be gathered and it will take time for the virus to be completely purged.”
According to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee secretariat, over 1,500 pets have been vaccinated in 11 villages.
“The state Veterinary Services Department has vaccinated 346 dogs, 1,168 cats and 16 other pets,” it said.
Six villages within a 10km radius in Serian have been declared as rabies infected.
The villages are Kampung Saroban, Kampung Kerait, Kampung Paon Rimu, Kampung Paun Rimu Bakung, Kampung Remun and Kampung Lebor.
Two children have died from rabies since the outbreak was detected in Serian last month.