KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — After nearly 20 years, Malaysia has again recorded its first deaths from rabies.

While Malaysia has not been entirely free of the potentially fatal disease, the five deaths so far have renewed alarm over rabies around nation.

What was initially thought to be a localised outbreak centred around Serian in Sarawak has now spread to Perak in the peninsula.

Here is a list of all the deaths from rabies so far.

Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu, Serian

Two siblings, a six-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy, infected with the rabies virus in Serian district died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on July 4.

The duo hail from Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu, were earlier diagnosed as brain dead and their parents then agreed for the life support to be withdrawn.

The children were reportedly bitten by dogs about two to three months ago.

Kampung Lebor, Gedong, Serian

Another seven-year-old girl from Serian had developed fever on June 23 and then taken to the hospital for treatment.

She was treated for suspected viral encephalitis and placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the SGH.

The victim died last Thursday and was confirmed as the third death resulting from rabies, believed to be from a dog bite from up to three months prior.

Kampung Ampungan, Serian

The fourth victim in Sarawak succumbed to the disease at SGH on July 18.

She was identified as a five-year-old girl from Kampung Ampungan in Serian.

National news agency Bernama reported the victim’s uncle as saying she was bitten on the left hand about a week before the Gawai celebrations at her grandfather’s village, Kampung Serobang in the Serian district, before being rushed to the Serian Hospital.

Kampung Remun, Serian

On July 19, a 52-year-old man from Kampung Remun, Serian became the fifth person to contract the disease.

Bernama reported Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah as confirming on July 18 that the victim contracted the disease after being bitten by a dog in early May.

Noor Hisham said that the man had then developed what is believed to be symptoms of the disease on July 11 and was then admitted SGH. 

* Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported that the 52-year-old man from Serian became the fifth fatality from rabies. It has since been corrected.