Health Ministry confirms fourth rabies victim following lab results

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World Health Organisation Graphic on rabies. (File Photo)

 

KUCHING: The Health Ministry has confirmed the fourth rabies victim – a five-year-old girl from Kampung Ampungan in Serian.

This follows the first three cases detected last month comprising siblings from Kampung Paon Rimu – a six-year-old girl and her four-year-old brother, both pronounced dead on July 4 – and another girl, aged seven, from

Kampung Lebur in Gedong who is still in critical condition and is being placed at the Intensive care Unit (ICU) of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here.

According to Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, all four victims are from Serian Division.

“It is reported that on May 27, the fourth victim was bitten by a dog at Kampung Saroban – located within a 10km radius from the area where the three earlier cases were detected.

“On July 3, the girl showed symptoms of fever, with pain in her left arm and she appeared lethargic. She was sent to Serian Hospital and transferred to SGH the next day (July 4) where she was later placed at the ICU as her condition worsened,” he said in a statement issued by the ministry in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Dr Noor Hisham said laboratory results released yesterday confirmed that the girl from Kampung Ampungan had contracted the rabies virus.

On the third victim, he said she is at ICU.

“The Serian Health Office and Sarawak Health Department have been jointly conducting the Active Case Detection (ACD) to identify cases of dog attacks in the rabies-affected areas across Serian Division.

“The ACD has covered 86 areas, involving 3,284 houses and 7,583 people. So far, 192 cases of dog bites have been uncovered in Serian Division and all have been treated,” said Dr Noor Hisham, assuring the public that the ministry and the state Health Department will work together with other authorities including the Veterinary Services Department to prevent further outbreak of rabies in Sarawak.