Dr Sim speaks to journalists. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The state’s war against rabies will continue until the government declares otherwise, said Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He pointed out that Sarawak is not rabies-free yet and therefore Sarawakians must not take the fatal disease lightly, particularly during Chinese New Year.
“The public must never forget that once we declared, it means the rabies outbreak is on until we declare there is no more rabies. When there is no more rabies, we will declare no more rabies. Because it is a declaration, we cannot be declaring it every day. When you don’t hear anything on rabies, do not think that there is no more rabies,” he told reporters yesterday.
Dr Sim said Sarawakians must take responsibility for the safety of their families, friends, and visitors during this critical time.
“A lot of visitors are coming back during CNY, so I want as many dogs vaccinated as possible. And take responsibility because your dog may not go out (of the house compound) but others may come in (the house compound).
“Your dog may not bite but a mad dog bites. We don’t want people to act ‘smart’ as in assessing themselves whether it is just a scratch, risky or not risky, or that ‘this is my dog or my friend’s dog’. This is ‘rabies time’. If they bite you, you get into trouble,” he said.
He appealed to pet owners to get their dogs vaccinated as the government is providing free vaccinations.
Dr Sim added dogs had to be vaccinated on an annual basis.
“If everybody cooperates and a lot of dogs are vaccinated, we don’t even need to catch any dogs. We need to get the dogs vaccinated every year, not only once.
“Dogs that are in an outbreak area are potentially rabid. Do not say that your dog doesn’t normally bite you, but when it is rabid, it will bite you,” he said.
He also advised individuals bitten by dogs, especially in rabies-infected areas, to get assessed and vaccinated at government hospitals.
Dr Sim pointed out that a person who is bitten by a rabid dog faces a 99 per cent fatality rate if not properly treated immediately.
“If you’re bitten by a rabid dog and get proper treatment, vaccination, wound cleaning and all that, it is a 99 per cent chance that you won’t die, but never 100 per cent.
“It depends on where it bites; if it bites on the face, so close to your brain or on the leg of a small child (it will be fatal). If the bite is on a Mat Salleh (Caucasian), so tall, it takes longer to reach the brain because rabies travels by nerves,” he elaborated.
Dr Sim pointed out that a dog bite victim would have to get four doses of the vaccination, which would cost the government RM1,600.
However, he said the amount spent is not the issue, but what is important is saving lives.