Rabies claims 12th victim in Sarawak

KUCHING: A 44-year-old man from Jalan Matang who was warded at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for suspected rabies since Aug 16, succumbed Tuesday morning.

Health Ministry directorgeneral Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed the latest rabies-related death in a statement released yesterday.

He said based on information received, the victim had no history of dog or animal bites.

He had, however, hit a stray dog that bit his wife on Jan 13 this year. It was reported that the dog had died.

“The victim had an open wound on his right hand at the time of the incident. He did not get any treatment for himself although he had taken his wife to the hospital for treatment and vaccination after the incident,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

He said the victim started feeling pain in his right hand in early August and received outpatient treatment on Aug 6.

By Aug 11, his condition worsened and he developed symptoms of numbness and weakness in his right arm, inability to move, tension in the neck and hydrophobia, he added.

“The victim was taken to SGH Emergency Unit for treatment on Aug 16. The test on clinical samples conducted at the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) was positive for rabies virus infection.”

According to Dr Noor Hisham, the victim's wife is currently in good health and has completed her four-dose anti-rabies vaccination schedule.

This latest case brings the number of human rabies death in Sarawak to 12, out of a total of 13 human rabies infection.

Only one patient has survived but is now suffering from severe neurological complications and is being treated at home following his discharge from hospital.

In a related development, a total of 31 areas in Sarawak have already been gazetted as rabies-infested – 21 areas in Serian, five in Kuching, three in Samarahan and one each in Sri Aman and Sarikei.