Claim of Petra Jaya being declared rabies-infected a hoax — JPBN
KUCHING: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) secretariat has insisted that Petra Jaya, for now, is free from rabies.
A statement issued here said the viral WhatsApp message claiming Petra Jaya as a newlydeclared rabies-affected area, was a hoax.
“With regard to that viral WhatsApp message claiming that an announcement had been made by the Health Department at Masjid Darul Abidin along Jalan Astana, we want to state it clearly that the declaration of Petra Jaya as a newly declared rabies-infested area is not true at all,” said the committee, adding that the number of rabies-infected areas in Sarawak was still 22 without any addition of new areas as at yesterday.
There are 18 declared areas in Serian Division – Entebuh in Tebedu, Krait, Paun Rimu, Paun Rimu Bakung, Remun, Lebor, Seroban, Tangga, Ampungan, Mentong Berawan, Mentong Silaga, Engkabang, Tampek Sumpas, Rasau, Siburan bazaar, Serian town, Mile 45 of KuchingSri Aman Road and Temong Mura in Tebedu; three in Kuching Division ( Mile 5 Jalan Semeba, Sungai Maong Wet Market and Serikin in Bau); and one in Sri Aman Division ( Rumah Janta Punggu Mawang).
“The situation is under control, and the anti- rabies vaccination operation on dogs is still being carried out to control the spread of this disease,” JPBN said.
On another matter, the committee reminded dog owners living within 10km radius from Sungai Maong Wet Market about the mass vaccination exercise today (10am- 4pm) at the Arang Road basketball court.
It also said the Veterinary Services Department ( DVS) vaccinated 477 dogs yesterday, bringing the total number of vaccinated animals so far to 18,764 comprising 11,124 dogs, 7,595 cats and 45 other animals.
It also said DVS had conducted 127 rabies awareness campaigns at villages and schools, where 26,030 people took part.
Fifty-nine new cases of dog bites were reported to the state Health Department yesterday, which comprised 43 cases in Kuching and 16 cases in Serian – bringing the cumulative number of dog bites reported since April 1 to 1,075 cases.
“Twenty- nine of these new cases have been administered with anti-rabies vaccines. As at today ( yesterday), 652 persons were vaccinated,” it said.
Meanwhile, Deputy State Secretary and JPBN deputy chairman Datu Jaul Samion yesterday chaired a meeting at the State Operations Room in Wisma Bapa Malaysia with all Residents, District Officers and local council chairmen in attendance.
Also present were officers from relevant government departments, police and members of the Armed Forces. They discussed the idea of creating buffer zones and also to hold more public awareness programmes.
JPBN also said the DVS and the local councils, which are under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, would expand stray animal control activities to Betong and Sri Aman divisions to control the spread of rabies.
“The ministry is taking action to control the numbers of stray dogs under the tagline ‘Keep Your Dog Safe, Keep Yourself Safe’,” it said.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian also chaired a meeting at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday on preparations to hold awareness talks to be conducted at several places today (June 29) in Mandarin, Bidayuh, Bahasa Malaysia, Iban and English.
The talks would take place at SJKC Batu 10 basketball court (in Mandarin), Dewan Masjid Al Anyad in Matang (in Bahasa Malaysia), the TJ Delight Tabuan Jaya (in English), and Tabuan Dayak (in Iban).
These sessions carrying the tagline ‘ No Bite, No Rabies’ are scheduled to commence at 7.30pm at all these venues.