Rabies claims sixth life in S'wak

KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department confirmed today that a man bitten by a rabid dog in Nov last year died at the Sarawak General Hospital yesterday, raising to six the number of people who have succumbed to rabies in the state since July last year.

Sarawak director of health Dr Jamilah Hashim said the 59-year-old man died at 4.44 pm.

"The cause of death was rabies encephalitis. The man, from Jalan Batu Kawa-Matang, Kuching, was bitten by a rabid dog in November last year and had sought treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital on Jan 24 after developing neurological symptoms," she said in a statement.

Dr Jamilah said that up to yesterday, seven people had been affected by rabies. Six of them have died and one was discharged from hospital last month, she added.

This sixth victim of a dog bite, a seven-year-old boy from Kampung Kuala, Serian, was discharged from hospital on Jan 31, she said, adding that there had been no new cases of rabies in the state.

Dr Jamilah said that between July 1 last year and yesterday, 29 localities in five divisions in Sarawak, namely Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Kuching and Sarikei, were found to be rabies positive. — Bernama