A veterinarian prepares a dosage of rabies vaccine. Reuters File Photo
SERIAN: Those who may have been bitten by dogs in rabies-infected areas in this district from April 1 to July 1 are urged to seek immediate medical treatment.
Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health Dr Annuar Rapaee said they must get to the nearest hospital for vaccination even though the bite area (wound) has already healed.
He told a press conference this before he accompanied Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to inspect a rabies vaccination operation at Kampung Paun Rimu and Kampung Lebur here yesterday.
Even though the bite area is healed, the bacteria inside can still be transmitted via the vein to the brain within a year, he added.
He thus urged the villagers to spread this information to all their neighbours and friends, in particular children and school-going children.
“They have probably got bitten by rabies-infected dogs but they didn’t tell their parents or anybody about it,” he said.
Dr Annuar said the saliva of rabies-infected dogs was also dangerous and infectious to humans.
“If you have an open wound and a rabies-infected dog licks the wound, you too will be infected by the virus.”
He advised those bitten for the first time to wash the wound immediately and get medical attention.
“The virus can only be transmitted through the vein but do not panic. Get immediate medical attention. The person will get four treatments after being bitten,” he said.
Dr Annuar added that more that 90 per cent of animal bites in Malaysia came from dogs and a total of 68 dog-bite cases had been detected within the rabies-infected areas.
“We need these people to be vaccinated as soon as possible before the symptoms appear,” he said, adding that the state government had contributed RM100,000 to buy human vaccine against rabies.