Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia: 62yo Man In Sarawak Dies Of Rabies Infection

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs worldwide. Dogs are sadly the main source of human-related rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.

Malaysia has had its fair share of rabies infections and unfortunately, there’s a new one.

As according to the Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), a 62-year-old man in Sarawak has passed away in Hospital Sibu due to rabies.

Satu kes baharu rabies di Sarawak membabitkan seorang lelaki 62 tahun.

Pesakit meninggal dunia pada 23 Jun di Hospital Sibu.

Ini menjadikan dua kes rabies di Sarawak tahun ini.

Sejak penyakit ini diisytiharkan wabak 1 Julai 2017, 24 kes dilaporkan termasuk 23 kematian .

— KKMPutrajaya (@KKMPutrajaya) June 26, 2020

They wrote, “A new case of rabies in Sarawak involved a 62-year-old man. The patient passed away on the 23rd of June at Hospital Sibu. This is the second case of rabies in Sarawak this year. Since the disease was declared on the 1st of July, 2017, there have been 24 cases reported including 23 deaths.”

As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), rabies can easily be transmitted through bites and scratches but can be prevented through vaccination.

Rabies symptoms include fever with pain, unusual tingling, prickling and/or burning sensations around the wound. There are also two ways the disease could go:

• Furious rabies could result in hyperactivity, excitable behaviour, hydrophobia (irrational fear of water) and sometimes, aerophobia (irrational fear of flying, fresh air or drafts of air). Death often occurs within a few days due to cardio-respiratory seizure.
• Paralytic rabies is less dramatic and runs a usually longer course. Muscles would gradually become paralysed starting from the area of which the bite or scratch occurred, which then could slowly develop into a coma and eventually, death.

Hence, dog owners and shelter operators are highly advised to vaccinate their dogs just in case any biting or scratching may occur.

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Also read: 40-Day-Old Indo Baby Dies From Covid-19 After Parents Allowed Visitors Into Their Home