KUCHING: Delay in receiving immediate treatment after being bitten by a dog was the main cause of the 16 rabies deaths in the state.
State Veterinary Services Department’s regulatory assistant director Dr Nicholas Jenek said for that reason there was still a need to hold more awareness programmes on the danger of rabies.
“We receive 20 dog bite reports daily from Kuching,” he said in a press conference at the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department’s office here, today.
Nicholas added that more than 120,000 dogs had been vaccinated as of this month including 62 vaccinated today.
He added that from 2017 to March this year, 13,000 dogs were removed from rabies infected areas in the state.
“So far, 8,000 people who have been bitten by dogs had been vaccinated,” he said.
He also urged the people to vaccinate their pet dogs and cats.
“Do not let your pets roam around outside the house to avoid them from getting infected by rabies,” he advised.
