PUTRAJAYA, July 19 — The Health Ministry will continue to monitor the condition of the two children who were bitten by a pet dog in Kuala Sepetang, Taiping, Perak for another two or three months, says Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said although the children were in stable conditions and did not show any clinical symptoms of rabies, detailed observations should be conducted to ensure that they were free from the disease.

Based on previous cases, Dr Subramaniam said the victims were diagnosed with rabies only after two or three months being bitten, not immediately after a bite.

"Even though the patients have no signs of rabies now, we must monitor and treat them to see their health progress from time to time,” he told a press conference here today.

Dr Subramaniam described the rabies case in Kuala Sepetang as unusual because the place was situated outside of the outbreak area and far from the border of the neighbouring country.

Last Sunday, the Department of Veterinary Services confirmed that a pet dog in Kuala Sepetang had died of rabies, nine days after biting the two girls, aged 11 and 12.

On rabies cases in Sarawak, he said the tests conducted found that the rabies virus strain in Serian was similar to the strain in Kalimantan, Indonesia. — Bernama