45 positive animal rabies cases so far this year

KUCHING: A total of 45 out of 174 animals in Sarawak have been tested positive for rabies so far this year, said Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) state director Datu Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.

He said these animal rabies positive cases were detected in Kuching (17 cases), Bau (4), Lundu (2) Padawan (7), Samarahan (4), Bau (1), Serian (3) Tebedu (1), Sri Aman (1), Bintulu (3) and Sebauh (3).

"For the month of March this year, 20 animal rabies cases were detected," he said, adding the samples came from free roaming pets and strays after bite cases, and some pets were surrendered by owners after the animals fell sick.

Dr Adrian was speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the two-day Workshop on Plan of Action for Rabies Control and Eradication 20242025 yesterday.

He said as of yesterday, the total number of human rabies fatalities in Sarawak was 71 out of 78 cases since the outbreak was declared in the state in July 2017.

He pointed out that in 2019, rabies in the state was declared as Disaster Level II as stipulated by National Security Council (MKN), with the state Health Department as the Commander/ Lead agency assisted by DVS Sarawak and supported by other agencies.

According to him, Sri Aman Division was declared as rabiesinfected on March 25 this year by the Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development due to new animal rabies positives detected there recently.

Kuching, Samarahan, Serian and Bintulu divisions are the other divisions declared rabiesinfected.

"A total of 29 areas remain rabies-infected even though no rabies-positive animal was detected in those areas for this year," he said.