By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Sarawak Branch of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), organised a Rabies Awareness Public Forum, ‘Dog Bite Kills’ at the MBKS Auditorium, Kuching, on 26 May 2023.
The forum, organised with the Sarawak State Government, was live – streamed with the objective to educate the public on rabies and dogs’ bite and to seek their co-operation to prevent and eradicate human rabies which is now considered endemic in Sarawak.
Current Rabies Situation in Sarawak
The panel of Speakers included Dr Nicholas Jenek, Sarawak State Veterinary Deputy Director who gave an update on the current rabies situation. He reported that the first human rabies case came to light on 30 June 2017 in Serian District. In January 2019, the rabies outbreak in Sarawak was declared as Level Two Disaster by the Malaysian National Security Council.
Since early July 2017 to May 2023, a total of 72 areas have been declared as ‘rabies infected’ in Sarawak. There were 59 deaths from human rabies, out of the 66 reported cases, with ages ranging from 3-80 years old.
Hence the ‘no bites, no rabies’ target to eliminate human deaths due to rabies, as one only becomes a casualty when he or she gets bitten by a dog that has rabies. So far, 233,377 animals have been vaccinated.
Dr Ooi Choo Huck, the Sarawak State Medical Director who spoke to the audience made up of doctors, ketua kampungs and pet owners, gave an overview of human rabies in Sarawak. He informed that the ‘One Health Rabies Control in Sarawak’ was set up so that the government, organisations, etc, can come together to create awareness of the rabies situation.
What do you Need to Know about Human Rabies?
Dr Chua Hock Hin, an Infectious Disease physician at the Sarawak General Hospital, gave instructions on what one should do when bitten by a dog or any animal, as the possibility of rabies spilling over to cats or other animals is always there.
The incubation period of human rabies to death is between 3-8 weeks. It has been proven to even take as long as 6 months in a small percentage of casualties, for the virus to travel from the nerves to the brain. If one does nothing after being bitten, 99 percent will become infected.
Thus, it is crucial to wash the ‘dog bite’ area with soap and running water for 15 minutes, then go to a clinic for further assessment and treatment.
According to Dr Chua, we are facing a serious threat from rabies, especially children and young working adults. Urbanites who lack knowledge on the responsibility of keeping pets leading to dumping and stray issues, and poor awareness of the infection in suburban and interior locations, is worrying.
He pointed out that “animal control is a very important short-term measure to reduce the number of animals that carry the rabies virus and pose a threat to the public.”
Currently, the Batu Kitang area, along Jalan Stephen Yong has a high density of rabied animals.
The guest of honour to the forum was Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Health, Housing & Local Government, Sarawak.
Co-operation to eradicate Rabies in Sarawak
Meanwhile, Kuching Catholic Archbishop Simon Poh has confirmed that there were reports of cases of human rabies in a few of the Catholic villages in the Batu Kitang area. He is asking all “Catholic villages and neighbourhoods, all friends of good will, to work towards the eradication of rabies in Sarawak.”
You may view the Rabies Awareness Public Forum recording from this link. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Hc-HOZVwUzuwF-J8-eG-oKJaxjj_nljy
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