KOTA PADAWAN: Rabies can be eradicated in Sarawak if everyone plays his or her part to curb its spread, Chairman of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), Lo Khere Chiang said.
“We already have four deaths in Padawan (MPP) alone with a total of 13 deaths in the whole state already.
“This showed how serious it (rabies) is. It can be eradicated but it takes the effort of everyone,” Lo said at a press conference after chairing MPP’s full meeting, recently.
“We understand why MBKS (Kuching City South Council) is going to do it (starts a mass operation to remove stray dogs in its area in September) and we will complement its effort. What MBKS is doing is a good idea.
“If MBKS chooses September to intensify its effort, everybody should follow suit and to intensify effort to curb the spread of rabies.
“Hence, I would also like to encourage all the other councils to do the same because there is no point in one council doing it and the rest don’t do it, because dogs and other animals with rabies will be running around and coming back again.
“So we will complement MBKS’ effort and I will encourage all the other councils to do the same,” Lo said, adding that it is not a ‘hobby’ of the MPP to remove the stray dogs in its area. “We do not want to catch these dogs if we don’t have to. But if we see the statistics, we already have four deaths in the MPP area,’ he said.
Lo also advised MPP residents and all over the state to keep their pets in door.
He stressed that apart from pets, humans also need to be vaccinated against rabies.
He also revealed that 55,000 rabies deaths are recorded annually throughout the world.
Rabies is found in all countries throughout the world except Antartica.
