Another suspected rabies case detected in Serian

KUCHING: A girl from Serian has been admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here after showing signs of being infected by the rabies virus.

However, result of her blood test is still pending and she has not been confirmed to be suffering from rabies. If her blood test result was positive then she will be the fourth rabies victim in the state.

Of the three confirmed cases, two siblings aged four and six year old from Kampung Paun Rimu Bakong in Serian District have died while doctors at the SGH are fighting to save the life of the third victim, a seven year old girl from the same area.

Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Rohani Karim visited the girl and her parents at the ICU yesterday.

After the visit she told reporters the girl is showing no sign of improvement despite the week-long effort by the hospital’s medical staffs at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“We (ministry) have to make sure that the family remains strong by giving our support and assistance to face any possibilities. All effort has been done. Now is the time to pray for the best,” she said.

Rohani added that personnel from her ministry are on stand-by to provide any assistance to the girl’s family.

The mother of the girl has recently given birth and is still under confinement, Rohani added.

“As she is still under confinement, we do not want to suggest anything. All I told her is to take care of her health and be around for her daughter and the doctors,” said Rohani who is also Batang Lupar MP.

“Rohani advised parents to stop their children from playing with dogs or cats as they could be infected by the rabies virus.

“Also it is important to teach a child to not provoke the animals as they might attack. Rabid animals are not their own self, they could lose control,” she added.

A memo she added will also be issued to nurseries and primary schools especially in Serian for the teachers to take precautionary steps against the rabies virus.