KUCHING: If you are bitten by dogs or cats, even if they are your pets, seek immediate treatment as the fatality rate is 99.9 percent once rabies reaches the brain.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that it is crucial to get immediate treatment because chances of survivability are quite high when treatment is done as soon as possible.
“When anyone is bitten by a dog or cat, go and get immediate treatment at public hospitals which is free,” he told a press conference during a visit to the project site of Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) Complex at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee today.
Uggah, who is also Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said further announcement on target vaccination rates will be announced once the committee holds its meeting.
He added that achieving zero deaths will require public cooperation.
“I was informed yesterday that i-Belt, entrusted with carrying out vaccination programmes in the borders, has done really well.
“It was reported that around 70 per cent of the dog population in the area were vaccinated,” he added.
He said in the upcoming SDMC meeting, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian will brief SDMC.
“Further discussions will also be held with the Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
“This is under Dr. Stephen Rundi’s. His agency is also responsible for handling the matter,” he said.
For the record there have been nine deaths in the first four months of this year with the latest involving a 50-year old man from Kampung Bumbok along Jalan Batu Kitang.
