MOH: All 12 victims bitten by rabid dogs in Kuching reported to be stable

An anti-rabies operation will be launched in Kuching. Photo credit: Ukas

KUCHING, Jan 14: All 12 victims recently bitten by rabid dogs in the city have been administered anti-rabies vaccine and Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) treatment and reported to be in stable condition.

In stating this, Ministry of Health (MOH) said 11 individuals were treated as outpatients and one case admitted to the hospital for wound debridement was discharged on Jan 9.

“The Sarawak Health Department together with Department of Veterinary Services of Sarawak (DVSS), local authorities and agencies will intensify control activities in the area involving the local community, including rabies vaccination campaigns to control the spread of rabies infection,” the ministry said in a statement today.

The ministry recounted that of the 12 cases, the first incident happened on Jan 6 where eight dog bite cases from Tabuan Desa Indah, Lorong Keranji here were treated at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).

On Jan 7, three more dog bite cases from the same area were treated at HUS.

One of the cases was admitted to the ward on Jan 6 because the victim was given a wound debridement procedure while the other victims were given outpatient treatment.

All 11 victims were bitten by the same stray dog. The dog was caught by the local authority on Jan 8 and a laboratory test found that it was rabies positive.

Meanwhile, the 12th victim was reported to be from Lorong Tabuan Timur, Kuching who was bitten by a pet dog and was treated at SGH on Jan 7.

The dog was then voluntarily handed over to the local authorities and the results of laboratory tests by the DVSS shows that the dog was positive for rabies.

Previously, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng disclosed that 12 cases of rabies were reported at Tabuan Desa Indah and Lorong Tabuan Timur. — DayakDaily