| Sarawak rabies outbreak | |
|---|---|
  The arrival site of the virus in 2017. | |
 | |
| Disease | Rabies |
| Virus strain | Rabies virus |
| First outbreak | West Kalimantan, Indonesia |
| Index case | 1 July 2017 |
| Arrival date | July 2017 |
| Confirmed cases | 49 |
Deaths | 44 |
| Government website | |
| sdmc | |
The Sarawak rabies outbreak is an ongoing rabies outbreak in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. Until 6 December 2022, 49 confirmed rabies cases and 44 deaths have been reported. [n 1]
According to the findings of Malaysia's Health Ministry through the statement of the department minister S. Subramaniam in 2017, the origin source of rabies outbreak in Sarawak is suspected to have originated from neighbouring West Kalimantan in Indonesia with large rabies outbreak having occurred in the area. [n 2] [5] [6] The first casualties caused by the virus in Sarawak was reported on 4 July 2017 involving two children in Serian Division; a six-year-old girl and her four-year-old brother. [7] This was followed by the death of a seven-year-old on 13 July, and a five-year-old four days later- both from Serian District. [8]
In two years, the virus has taken the lives of 21 people; the 17th and 18th victims were a 26-year-old man from Batu Kawa and a 61-year-old woman from Pending who died on 31 May and 12 June in 2019. Another nine-year-old child victim was infected in August 2017 has been in the comatose state and treated at home. [8] An 46-year-old man from Padawan who failed to inform the health authorities that he has been bitten by his puppy died on 7 August as the 19th victim while his eight-year-old daughter who was also bitten by the puppy are reported to be in good condition after the victim sent her earlier to a health clinic with her case was immediately referred to the Post Bite Clinic (PBC) at the Sarawak Hospital to receive the first dose of rabies vaccine. [9] [10] [11]
On 2 November 2019, a five-year-old child from Kuching died while undergoing intensive care after being unwell since 13 October with sore throat symptom where he was confirmed positive for rabies through infection from his pet dogs that were allowed freely to play with stray dogs and not vaccinated against the virus while a girl, who has severe neurological complications caused by the virus has been on life support equipment for the past two years. [12] [13] Further fatalities were recorded in March 2020 involving a 5-year-old girl from Sibu town who was attacked and bitten by dogs on the face. Despite being treated and given the rabies vaccine, the girl died from rabies encephalitis on 25 March. [14] On 20 May 2020, a 62-year-old man from within the same town of Sibu died after being bitten following a visit to relative's house. [15]
On 8 September, another death was reported involving a 51-year-old man from Penrissen Road in Kuching who had been hospitalised since 26 August. [16] On 20 October, a 42-year-old man died at the Sarawak Hospital was confirmed to be infected with the virus. [17] On 22 October, a 34-year-old woman in Sibu died due to complications by the virus where she had early been bitten since the end of 2018 but did not seek treatment at any health facility. [18] On 11 November, a 16-year-old girl died in the hospital of Kuching due to infection on her right leg which caused by a scratch from a virus infected dog. [19] On 25 November, another victim which is a 58-year-old man died with symptoms of rabies and confirmed through diagnosis with a history being bitten two years before by a stray dog while hunting in the jungle and did not seek further treatment. [20]
On 13 March 2021, another death was reported involving a 52-year-old man who had killed a dog. He didn't hand in the dog to the authority. The victim seek treatment on 31 January for chest pain, vomiting, shortness of breath and feeling numbness on the right hand before he died on 8 February. The diagnosis was confirmed by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) on 6 February. [21] The second case involving a 54-year-old who had been bitten by his dog on 26 December 2020. His dog has been euthanised by authority on the same day. He sought medical care on 5 March for fever, nausea and loss of appetite where he subsequently died on 7 March. The diagnosis was confirmed by UNIMAS on 7 March. [21]
On 5 May 2021, a 45-year-old female in Sungai Tepus of Selangau died following her deteriorating condition after being bitten by her pet dog despite getting her first anti-rabies vaccine dose early in April. [22] On 11 May, another 45-year-old male in Stapang of Selangau became another victim where he later succumbed by the following day due to symptoms of fever, headache, sore throat, pain while drinking water and hydrophobia. [1]
From January until 6 December 2022, a further total of 14 newer cases and 11 deaths have been reported. [2]
Since the first case was reported in Serian Division, further eight divisions including Betong, Kapit, Kuching, Miri, Samarahan, Sarikei, Sibu and Sri Aman have been declared as rabies infected areas. [23] One of the main causes of the spread to other divisions is resulted from an irresponsible dog owner taking a dog out from a rabies-infected area without movement permit from the state veterinary authority as discovered in late 2018 with a case of man who brought his dog to Limbang Division from Kuching. [24] From 1 July 2018 until 30 May 2019, the Sarawak government had declared 62 areas in 11 divisions as rabies infection areas with only Limbang Division free from the virus. [25] [26]
We are now going into another phase of the war against rabies. I have given instructions that all dogs throughout Sarawak within affected and non-affected areas be vaccinated. We have tried to contain the disease so far and the furthest area where we have a positive test is in Julau. We pray it stops there. That's why it is very critical that dogs throughout Sarawak be vaccinated.
—Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas explaining to media on the situation of the outbreak in 2018 after more deaths were reported. [27]
As a result of the first reported deaths in July 2017, the authorities began to declare a statewide rabies outbreak. [8] In January 2019, the outbreak has been declared a Level 2 Disaster to enable all government agencies to pool resources in a concerted effort to mobilise and contain the spread of the disease with vaccination and removal of stray dogs and cats through phases starting from 1 March. [8] With the ongoing outbreak, the federal government has contributed a total RM9.3 million for statewide anti-rabies operation in Sarawak including the dispatchment of various agencies both from state and the federal government including the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), armed forces, police, National Security Council, Civil Defence Force, Health Department and Department of Veterinary Services to jointly stop the spread of the virus. [28] As stated by Malaysia's Deputy Health Minister Lee Boon Chye in 2019, the country Health Ministry will consider proposals from universities or the industrial sector to conduct medical science research on the treatment of rabies. [29] On 4 July, Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) entered into an agreement with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to conduct research on quick diagnosis of rabies in the state. [30]
Local residence in the involved areas were urged to give out their full co-operation to eliminate the outbreak since there have been reports in the early phase that it is not well received by animal lovers and groups representing animal rights. [8] The government then increased more awareness programmes, mass vaccination for pets and opening of animal bite clinics for people to seek medical attention and to be vaccinated for suspected of the virus infection after being bitten by animals. [8] A total of 120,353 dogs from an estimate of 210,000 dogs have been vaccinated throughout the outbreak. [31] With the growing awareness, the fourth phase operations for "targeted removal" carried out in Lundu, Bau, Padawan, Samarahan, Kuching, Serian and Simunjan went smoothly without interruption with a total of 6,725 stray dogs and 61 cats have been removed. [8] The number of vaccination increases to over 150,000 in October 2019 through free anti-rabies vaccination provided by the government. [32]
The government also began to maintaining an immune belt along the Sarawak-West Kalimantan border where the rabies is believed to have spread from. [8] A total ban on the movement of dogs both in and out of Sarawak along its border with Kalimantan was imposed on 23 August 2019 to curb the spread of the virus with Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas expressed his disappointment to certain people who had been bitten by their pet dogs and cats but did not seek immediate medical treatment despite the many publicity campaigns, talks and statements with radio announcements and reminders have been delivered by the government. [33] Nevertheless, the Sarawak Health Department with the co-operation of the Veterinary Services Department and the local councils are working together to mitigate new occurrences with the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) also has given the assurance that the outbreak in Sarawak is contained. [34]
Neighbouring Sabah have been on alert on the quick spread of the virus and began to maintaining a tight check on the movement of animals since the outbreak in Sarawak. [35] The United States Embassy in Malaysia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have raised a notice and Level 2 Alert on the outbreak in 2017. [36] [37] The government of Sarawak also collaborates with authorities in neighbouring Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia to contain the spread of the virus through information exchange and border control along with mass vaccination and targeted removal programmes to ensure the migration of animals is under control with the government promise it will continue to conduct annual dogs vaccination programmes and controlling dogs movement between Sarawak divisions until the state is declared rabies free. [38]
In October 2021, the Sarawak government has approved a total of RM7.07 million budget as part of its action plan for rabies control and complete eradication with the aim to end further human infection cases by 2022 and infection among the dogs by 2025. [39]
Sarawak is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in the region of East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan to the south, and Brunei in the north. The capital city, Kuching, is the largest city in Sarawak, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2020 Malaysia census, the population of Sarawak was 2.453 million. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is the highest point in the state. Sarawak is the only state of Malaysia with a Christian majority.
Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwest tip of the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 km2 (166 sq mi) with a population about 165,642 in the Kuching North administrative region and 159,490 in the Kuching South administrative region—a total of 325,132 people.
Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of 129.5 square kilometres (50.0 sq mi), the city is positioned at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, approximately 60 kilometres from the South China Sea and 191.5 kilometres (119 mi) north-east of the state capital, Kuching.
Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. This district area is 3,978.10 square kilometres, and population was 56,900. It is located on the banks of the Limbang River, between the two halves of Brunei.
Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture. The name Bidayuh means 'inhabitants of land'. Originally from the western part of Borneo, the collective name Land Dayak was first used during the period of Rajah James Brooke, the White Rajah of Sarawak. At times, they were also lesser referred to as Klemantan people. They constitute one of the main indigenous groups in Sarawak and West Kalimantan and live in towns and villages around Kuching and Serian in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, while in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan they are mainly concentrated in the northern Sanggau Regency. In Sarawak, most of Bidayuh population can be found within 40 km of the geographical area known as Greater Kuching, within the Kuching and Serian Division. They are the second-largest Dayak ethnic group in Sarawak after the Iban and one of the major Dayak tribes in West Kalimantan.
The Brunei revolt or the Brunei rebellion of 1962 was a December 1962 insurrection in the British protectorate of Brunei by opponents of its monarchy and its proposed inclusion in the Federation of Malaysia who wanted to establish a republic. The insurgents were members of the TNKU, a militia supplied by Indonesia and linked to the left-wing Brunei People's Party (BPP), which favoured a North Borneo Federation. The TNKU began co-ordinated attacks on the oil town of Seria, on police stations, and on government facilities around the protectorate. The revolt began to break down within hours, having failed to achieve key objectives such as the capture of Brunei Town and Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The revolt influenced the Sultan's 1963 decision not to join Malaysia. It is seen as one of the first stages of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
The Borneo Post, established in 1978, is the largest and widely circulated English-language daily newspaper in East Malaysia and also the alternately circulated newspaper in Brunei. The newspaper is the first English newspaper in East Malaysia to use photo-composition for type-setting and printing was done in offset as against the old-fashioned letterpress.
Pan Borneo Highway, also known as Trans-Borneo Highway or Trans-Kalimantan Highway, is a road network on Borneo Island connecting two Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei and Kalimantan region in Indonesia. The highway is numbered AH150 in the Asian Highway Network and as Federal Route 1 in Sarawak. In Sabah, the route numbers given are 1, 13 and 22. The highway is a joint project between both governments which started as soon as the formation of Malaysia in 1963 which comprised Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. The lack of a road network system in Sarawak was the main factor of the construction.
MASwings Sdn Bhd is a regional airline operating the Rural Air Services (RAS) in Borneo Malaysia. MASwings is the successors of FlyAsianXpress which operates RAS flight from 2006-2007 and FlyAsianXpress is the successors of RAS flights by Malaysia Airlines from 1965-2006, prior to that Borneo Airways which was the first airlines who operate RAS route from 1953-1965 during British Borneo colonization period.
Sarawak Malay is a Malayic language native to the State of Sarawak. It is a common language used by natives of Sarawak and also as the important mother tongue for the Sarawakian Malay people.
Sarawak's population is very diverse, comprising many races and ethnic groups. Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. This makes Sarawak demography very distinct and unique compared to its Peninsular counterpart. However, it largely mirrors to other territories in Borneo - Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan.
The Crown Colony of Sarawak was a British Crown colony on the island of Borneo, established in 1946, shortly after the dissolution of the British Military Administration. It was succeeded as the state of Sarawak through the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
High intensity rainfall since 17 January 2015 caused major flooding across several parts of Sarawak and Sabah. Around 13,878 people had been evacuated with one teenage girl became the only casualty.
Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Abang Haji Openg, familiarly known as Abang Jo or Abang Johari, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the head of government of Sarawak since January 2017. He has been Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Gedong since 2021, having previously being the MLA for Satok from 1981 to 2021. He was also the MLA for Satok between May 1981 and December 2021. He is the son of the first Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, Abang Openg Abang Sapiee.
Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, is a Malaysian politician and medical doctor who has served as the Special Advisor to the Minister of Health Zaliha Mustafa since April 2023 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bandar Kuching since May 2018. A member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, he has served as Chair of the Health, Science and Innovation Select Committee since January 2021 and is a member of the Budget Select Committee. He has also served as the Youth Chief or known as the Chief of the Youth Wing namely Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) since March 2022 and 5th Youth Chief of PH since July 2022. Yii also serves as special assistant to Chong Chieng Jen, Stampin MP, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Padungan, DAP Sarawak and Sarawak branch of PH chairman.
Tebedu District is a district in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a part of Serian Division that consists of Serian, Siburan, and Tebedu districts. Before this, Tebedu District was a sub-district under Serian District which was then fully upgraded to a district in its own right. The majority of the population of this district is from the Bidayuh ethnic group.
Beginning in January 2018, an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) occurred among children nationwide across Malaysia. Nearly 38,000 cases were recorded between January 1 and July 26, and by August 14 the total number of cases had risen to 51,000. Among the states and federal territories affected by the outbreak, Selangor recorded the highest cases with 11,349, Kuala Lumpur with 4,428 and Sarawak with 4,412 cases as reported in July 2018. At least two children in Sarawak and Penang died from complications caused by the virus.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abang Iskandar bin Abang Hashim is a Malaysian lawyer and judge who serves as the twelfth President of the Court of Appeal. He previously served as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak (CJSS).
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the state of Sarawak, Malaysia in March 2020. As of 16 November 2022, there are 318,731 confirmed cases.
Sarawak is still not free from rabies; from 1 July last year to 30 May, the Sarawak government had declared 62 areas in 11 divisions as rabies infection areas. Only Limbang is free from rabies.
The total number of dogs vaccinated for rabies in Sarawak is 120,353 or 57 per cent of an estimate of 210,000 while the cumulative cases of dog bite from 1 July 2017 to 3 May 2019 is 25,593.
