No other rabies cases detected so far – Health Dept

KUCHING: There are no more new cases of rabies detected for now, says state Health Department director Dr Jamilah Hashim.

According to her, there is yet to be any individual tested positive for rabies, following the first three cases detected last Friday involving young children from Serian.

“Our team has been in the field (the affected areas) since Thursday, for their active houseto-house detection of cases involving dog bites,” she said when contacted yesterday.

She also said the three young rabies-infected victims from Serian were still severely ill.

“They’re still in critical condition.”

The children – aged four, six and seven – were initially admitted at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for unusual presentation of viral encephalitis.

They were tested positive for rabies infection following laboratory tests on Friday. Currently, the three are being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The first case involved a fouryear-old boy from Kampung Paon Sungai Rimu, who was treated as an outpatient at Balai Ringin Health Clinic on June 5.

His condition later worsened, having developed breathing difficulty with intermittent abnormal behaviour and being slightly aggressive – he showed fear of bathing/drinks (hydrophobia).

It is learnt that the boy had had history of dog bite two to three months prior to the appearance of the symptoms.

He was sent to Serian Hospital on June 9, before being referred to SGH.

The second victim is his sixyear-old sister. She was down with fever on June 12 and was brought to the same Balai Ringin Health Clinic two days later. She was later brought to Serian Hospital on June 15, before being transferred to SGH the next day for further treatment.

The state Health Department is still searching for dog bite history on the girl.

The third case involves a sevenyear-old girl from Kampung Lebur, Gedong. She started having fever on June 23 and was brought to Serian Hospital, but was treated as an outpatient there.

However, her condition worsened as she began showing changes in behaviour, exhibiting aggressiveness and also signs of hydrophobia.

On June 28, she had seizures at home and was rushed to SGH by her parents. She had a history of being bitten by dog a month before the symptoms appeared.