12,587 animal bite cases reported in Sarawak from Jan to Aug in 2024

Dr Sim (fourth right), representing Abang Johari, launching the RIB 2024 Conference together with Minister for Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Sarawak Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom (fourth left), Director of Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak Datu Dr Adrian Susin Ambud (third right), and others at Imperial Hotel in Kuching on Sept 30, 2024.

By Christopher Lidom

KUCHING, Sept 30: Sarawak has reported a total of 12,587 animal bite cases from January to August this year.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said on average, 360 animal bite cases are reported weekly.

“Of the total number of cases, 6,966 (55.34 per cent) were cat bites or scratches, 5,451 (43.30 per cent) were dog bites, and the remaining 170 cases (1.35 per cent) involved other animals.

“Furthermore, 8,703 cases (69.14 per cent) involved bites or scratches from pets, while 3,884 cases (30.86 per cent) involved wild or stray animals,” said Abang Johari, whose text speech was read by his deputy Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian during the Rabies In Borneo (RIB) 2024 Conference held at Imperial Hotel today.

As a commitment to control and prevent rabies, he said, the Sarawak government has implemented a number of measures, including mass vaccination of dogs, licencing and microchipping, dog population control, awareness campaigns, and surveillance and monitoring of the disease.

He said Sarawak also has an Immune Belt Enforcement Team (IBET) under the Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) established by the Sarawak government to prevent the incursion of rabies along the Sarawak-Kalimantan border that spans over 1,032 kilometres from Lundu to Lawas.

“IBET actively monitors and curbs the movement of rabid dogs, conducts disease surveillance and has successfully vaccinated 21,860 dogs, achieving 89 per cent herd immunity within the immune belt zone in 2023,” he added. — DayakDaily