Rep reminds Kapit folk to be wary of rabies
KAPIT: Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat has advised the people here to be wary of rabies as the town has been declared as a new rabiesinfected area.
On Sept 27, Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee declared that the Jalan Airport Lama here was among the five new areas identified to have been infected by rabies. The other new areas are Jalan Teng Chin Hua in Sibu, Jalan Kilang Bintangor in Meradong (Sarikei), Piasau Jaya and Lutong Shell in Miri.
“In this respect I call on all dog owners here to ensure that their dogs have been vaccinated. I was told that a dog vaccination programme had been carried out in mid September by Sarawak Veterinary Services Department Kapit office. However, there are dog owners who have yet to send their dogs for vaccination. I was also informed that the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department Kapit office will be carrying out another dog vaccination at Jalan Airport on Oct 6. Hopefully, dog owners in Kapit would make full use of this opportunity to get their dogs vaccinated as a prevention against the spread of rabies,” Jamit told The Borneo Post after attending the ‘Program Integriti: Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat’ at the Bleteh State Complex. He pointed out that rabies is a deadly disease.
“We have dogs that tested positive for rabies and this is a wakeup call for us here not to take things lightly as a single dog bite could trigger rabies cases here.”
He reminded those who have dogs that are sick and showing signs of rabies to call the rabies hotline or contact the nearest veterinary divisional office.
“Confine your dogs within your house compound. Any dogs found outside will be caught and removed by the council and the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak. If your dogs are caught, do not blame the council and the relevant authorities as what they have done is for the good of the community,” he advised.
He was happy to note that Kapit District Council and the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak Kapit office had carried out the necessary measures to catch and remove stray dogs within Kapit town and its surrounding areas.
“I was told that in the month of September alone, the council has caught 28 dogs – 13 in Kapit and 15 in an operation held from Sept 26 to 27 in Belaga District. I hope this dog removal action would be continued and include Song district as well,” he said.
Meanwhile the Resident’s Office has initiated a divisional level meeting on rabies to be held tentatively tomorrow at the conference room of the State Office Complex.
“Whereas Kapit District Council in collaboration with the Health Department Kapit and Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak will be carrying out a two-day dog removal operation from Oct 2-3 at Kapit town and its surrounding areas, including Bleteh Township, Jalan Airport Lama, Kampung Baru and Kampung Muhibbah,” added Jamit.