EVEN as the Health Ministry sets 2025 as the year for Sarawak to be rabies-free, the embattled state raised the disaster management level one notch up to “Level II”.

The Level II category, out of three levels, states the disaster is more serious and “covers a wide area or has exceeded two districts and has the potential to spread out”.

A Level II disaster will possibly cause death and damage to a large number of property, affects public daily activities, is more complex than a Level I disaster and is more difficult to conduct search and rescue.

The category is also defined as being able to be controlled by state authorities with or without limited health from outside.

In comparison, a Level I disaster is defined as a “local incident which is controllable and with no potentiality of spreading out. It is not complex and could cause only small damage to life and property.”

Earlier today, chairman of the state disaster and relief management committee, Douglas Uggah, raised the disaster management level as more tissue samples taken from dogs returned positive.

The Similajau industrial area in Bintulu – and all the area within a 10km radius of it – is the latest area in Sarawak to be declared as a “rabies infected area”.

Test results received last Wednesday showed four out of six were positive.

The committee said the tissue samples were taken from dogs in the Similaju industrial area, Kg Grogo, Kg Sibuluh, and Kg Bobak Singai, all in the Bau district close to the Malaysia- Kalimantan border.

Since July 2017, 61 areas in Sarawak – except the Limbang division in northern part of the state – have been declared as rabies infected areas.

Fifteen people have died and one young boy was left brain dead with his parents refusing to pull out his life support system.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye, on a two-day working visit to Sarawak, said in his media conference that the 2025 rabies-free target could be reached if the ongoing zero stray campaign is implemented and if 70% of dogs in the state are vaccinated, which will halt transmission of the disease.

“I’m confident but only if the zero stray policy is a success,” he said.

Uggah, who is also deputy chief minister, said in a statement that the local governments in cooperation with other agencies have rounded up 14,030 dogs in Kuching, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Samarahan, Betong and Serian divisions.

He said rabies awareness programmes are being held in schools, villages and other public places, especially in areas affected by the epidemic, while the state will continue to take action to contain the spread.

Measures include maintaining a “belt” of immunity along the Kalimantan border, “offensive containment” of outbreaks within the infected areas, “defensive isolation” to prevent transmission to new areas, enhancing rapid diagnostic capacity and capability and enforcing new dog licensing by-laws.

Since the outbreak, the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak said it had cumulatively vaccinated 110,435 animals – 25,000 of them dogs. – January 25, 2019.