Dr Sim: Status of Sarawak's first human rabies patient for 2025 unclear
KUCHING (July 4): The status of Sarawak's first confirmed human rabies case for 2025 is unclear, said Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Deputy Premier, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said there have been no updates regarding the 13-year-old boy from Kampung Segedup since the case was first reported in May.
'I need to ask the Jabatan Kesihatan (Sarawak Health Department) because I don't think that they want to keep anything in the dark,' he told reporters after opening the 5th International Burn and Wound Conference 2025 here today.
He said the Health Department has consistently carried out awareness efforts to educate the public on the risks of rabies.
'You see, the public awareness, right, I think all the Jabatan Kesihatan have always done a lot of public awareness. And that's why, under SDMC (Sarawak Disaster Management Committee), they want to join all these taskforces,' he said.
Dr Sim recalled the intense public reaction when rabies was first reported in the state.
'When the first rabies (case happened), at that point in time, everybody panicked. Now it's like okay,' he said.
He compared the situation to the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting that public complacency often follows an initial period of heightened awareness.
'Just like during Covid time, you would not even go near me. But now, even though I read that Covid incidence is increasing, is anybody wearing a mask? Anybody washing their hands? Last time, handwashing was everywhere. Now? Semua lupa (Everyone's forgotten),' he said.
He stressed the need for shared responsibility in eradicating rabies.
'The public must play their role and do their part. You must bring your dog for vaccination. You don't expect the government to go to your house to vaccinate,' he said.
He also noted that both pet dogs and stray dogs pose similar rabies risks, and that cats are increasingly becoming vectors for the disease.
'There are two things. One is the pet dogs. The pet dogs are causing as much rabies as the strays. And increasingly, the cats. Recently, there was a case involving a cat,' he said, cautioning that cats can contract rabies from dogs and transmit the disease to humans through scratches.
The 13-year-old boy's case was confirmed by the Health Department in a Facebook post on May 25.
His symptoms were fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, hallucinations, delirium, difficulty walking, and trouble swallowing water from May 21.
Investigations revealed that the boy had a history of being scratched by a stray cat, frequently played with and fed stray cats, and had handled the carcass of a cat killed in a road accident.
He initially sought treatment at a private hospital before being referred to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), where clinical tests confirmed he had rabies.
At the time of the announcement, the boy was receiving treatment at SGH. Dr Sim Kui Hian human rabies Kampung Segedup lead
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