Sarawak team to hold talks with Indonesian consulate to tackle rabies

KUCHING: The Sarawak state government will hold talks with the Indonesian consulate here on how to jointly tackle the rabies outbreak for the benefits of both sides, said Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the team would be led by his deputy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also chairman of the State Disaster Management Committee, and Local Government Minister Datuk Prof Dr Sim Hui Kian.
"It (collaboration) will be sharing of knowledge to alert each other and build buffer zones to prevent the spread of the disease," he told reporters after visiting the dog vaccination programme at Mile 10 Community Hall, Kota Padawan near here today.
He said based on records, most of the rabies cases were detected along the border area of Sarawak-Kalimantan, Indonesia.
However, Abang Johari said, he was not aware of the rabies situation in the neighbouring country.
Abang Johari said most affected areas are along the border like Lachau and Tebedu and the vaccination of dogs and cats is focused on these areas.
He said the federal government had contributed RM2.4 million in term of vaccines, while the state government contributed RM500,000 to curb the spread of rabies in Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Uggah confirmed that Siburan was already declared rabies infected and a buffer zone was already done in Mile 10 and Mile 7 to contain the spread of the disease.
Uggah also confirmed one case of dog rabies in Siburan.
So far, four people had died from rabies. The first and second victims were siblings, a six-year-old girl and her four-year-old brother from Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu, Serian, who died on July 4.
The third victim is a seven-year-old girl from Kampung Lebor, Serian, who died a week later while the fourth victim, a five-year-old girl from Kampung Ampungan, Serian succumbed to the disease on Tuesday. — Bernama