Rabies detected in Taman Allamanda Indah

KUCHING: The State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) yesterday declared Taman Allamanda Indah at Jalan Matang as the latest rabies-infected area after a sample taken from a dog in the housing estate tested positive.

The housing estate is the 24th area declared as rabies-infected by JPBN chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also deputy chief minister.

The sample was obtained from a dog at Lorong 2G of the housing estate.

The Veterinary Research Institute ( VRI) in Ipoh, Perak released the test result last Friday, according to a JPBN press statement yesterday.

The declaration was made to enable the relevant authorities to operate at the housing estate and surrounding areas within a 10km radius.

The integrated operation would include detection and prevention, JPBN said.

Most of the rabies-infected areas are located in Serian villages, namely Krait, Paon Rimu, Paon Rimu Bakung, Remum, Lebor, Saroban, Tangga, Ampungan, Mentong Berawan, Mentong Silaga, Engkabang, Tampek Sumpas, Rasau, Temong Mura, and Entubuh, as well as town areas like Siburan, Serian and Mile 45 Jalan Kuching- Serian.

In Kuching, the rabies-infected areas are Mile 5 Jalan Semeba, Sungai Maong wet market, Kampung Serikin in Bau, and now Taman Allamanda Indah, while in Sri Aman, it is at Rumah Janta Punggu Mawang.

Since the outbreak in June, the virus has taken the lives of four young children and a 52-year- old man.

Cumulatively thus far, a total of 35,471 animals have been vaccinated, comprising 27,588 dogs, 7,838 cats and 45 other animals. The state Veterinary Services Department said 25 cases of animal bites were recorded yesterday and out of this figure, 10 were from Serian, 10 from Kuching, three from Sri Aman, and two from Samarahan.

It said 23 of these cases were due to bites from pets comprising seven dogs and 16 cats.

The other two bite cases involved stray cats.

Since April 1, a total of 3,386 cases of animal bites were recorded.