KUCHING, Jan 27 — A 59-year old man from Kuching division is the latest person to contract rabies after being bitten by a rabid dog two months ago, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said today.
He said the victim is currently warded at the Sarawak General Hospital’s intensive care unit.
“A laboratory test on January 26 shows that he has contracted the rabies virus after being bitten by the dog,” he Malay Mail when contacted.
The man who is from Batu Kawa-Matang apparently has a history of being bitten by dogs.
He was bitten by a dog last November 27 and sought treatment at a private clinic, but was not referred to the government health facility where he could get vaccinated against the rabies virus.
Uggah said that on January 20, the man showed symptoms of rabies like fever, headache, nausea, agitation, hyperactivity, hydrophobia which is a fear of water, and hallucinations
He added that the man was taken to a private hospital by his family on January 24 and transferred to the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment the next day.
Uggah said the man is the seventh rabies victim since the outbreak on June 30 last year, adding that five of them have died.
The sixth victim is still being treated at SGH’s intensive care unit.
As of January 26, 2018, the state disaster management committee has declared 28 areas in Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman and Sarikei divisions as rabies-positive.
Uggah, who is also the chairman of the committee, said active rabies detection activities have been carried out involving 20,301 households with 78,465 people in these areas.
He said some 6,158 cases of dog bites have been reported from June 30, 2017 to January 26 this year.
