Mah: Kids being monitored
IPOH: The two girls bitten by their pet dog in Taiping have recovered without comorbidity or co-existing illness, but they are being closely monitored.
State Health, Public Transport, Non Islamic Affairs, National Integration and New Villages Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the children, aged 12 and 11, did not show systemic signs of illness.
“As a result of the attack, the victims suffered skin breakouts and bleeding due to multiple bites on their bodies. We view the matter seriously and are taking all measures to monitor the situation,” he said yesterday.
In the 7pm incident on July 4, the 2-year-old dog bit the two cousins at home and they were sent to the Kuala Sepetang Health Centre.
In Melaka, the public was told not to cause panic by spreading rumours following the admission of a 6-year-old boy to Melaka Hospital last Wednesday.
State Health and Sports Development Committee deputy chairman Datuk Ng Choon Koon said there were no rabies cases in the state and the State Veterinary Services Department (DVS) and the State Health Department were monitoring the situation.
“The boy was bitten by a dog when he was in Sarawak in May, not here in Melaka. He is suspected to have rabies, but we have yet to confirm, pending test results.
“No rabies cases have been detected in Melaka,” he told the New Straits Times here yesterday.
He added that the state DVS had been collecting samples monthly from canines here with negative test results.
Ng gave his assurance that the Health Department had taken all actions to contain the spread of any virus.
The boy, whose father is a soldier, was taken to Terendak Camp Military Hospital after he had fever for a month.
He was referred to Melaka Hospital on Wednesday.
State Health Department director Datuk Dr Ghazali Othman on Saturday said the department was awaiting the boy’s lab results. By Nuradzimmah Daim and Kelly Koh