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RABIES CLAIMS ANOTHER LIFE

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FLORENCESIA remains being brought to SGH morgue yesterday.
FLORENCESIA remains being brought to SGH morgue yesterday.
HER grandfather Kutek waiting outside the ICU.
Relatives waiting outside ICU.

Kuching:  The deadly rabies has claimed another life.  Florencesia ak Edward, aged five from Kampung Empungan, was the fourth victim to die after being infected by rabies. She died in the intensive care unit in Sarawak General hospital at 3.30 pm yesterday. She was taken off her life support with consent from parents.

The girl had gone to her grandfather,  Kutek anak Rintan’s house on 27 May before gawai in Kampung Seroban. She was  bitten by a dog which was killed by the villagers the next day. No one knew that the dog was infected with rabies.

Kutek said Florencesia was bitten on her left arm and required 10 stitches. At that time no one knew of the rabies and it was after her injuries started to heal two weeks later, that she felt unwell prompting her parents to bring her for a check up.

She developed fever on 3 July and was sent to serian and transferred to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) the next day as her condition worsened. She was placed in the ICU and the test done confirmed she was suffering from rabies.

Three children, two of whom were siblings had died from rabies. Alicesa Lorenna anak Nody, 7, from Kampung Lebur, Gedong was warded on 23 June due to high fever in Serian. She was later transferred to the SGH five days later. She was suspected to be suffering from viral encephalitis and placed in the intensive care unit. She was confirmed to be infected with rabies and died Wednesday afternoon on 12 July at about 2.16 pm in SGH’s ICU.

 Two siblings Monica aged six and  Jackson Mazlan, 4, from Kampung Paon, Sg Rimu had their life support switched off after they were declared brain dead on 4 July. The older sibling, a girl aged six, died at 1.43pm while her younger brother died three minutes later. All the three children had been bitten by dogs two months ago.
Florencesia left behind her parents and two brothers aged six and four to mourn her loss.

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) efforts by Serian Health Office and the Sarawak State Health Department (JKN) covered 86 residential areas, 3,284 homes and 7,583 people; who were interviewed for their health history. A total of about 200 people who were bitten by dogs were given treatment.

The Ministry recommended people in the area to take precautions including immediately reporting into a clinic or hospital if bitten by a dog and to ensure their pets are given anti-rabies vaccines.

 

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