A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl from Kg Ampungan in Sarawak, who has been confirmed as the state’s fourth rabies patient in an outbreak of the deadly virus, is now in critical condition, said health authorities.

The girl’s kampung lies in the district of Serian, which has been declared a rabies-infected zone by state authorities after two children in the area died and another remains in critical condition after contracting the disease.

In the latest case, the girl was reportedly bitten by an infected dog on May 27 at the neighbouring Kg Saroban where she had gone with her family to visit her grandmother just days before the June 1 Gawai festival.

Director-general of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement yesterday that the girl on July 3 “showed symptoms of fever, with pain in the left arm and she appeared lethargic”.

He said she was sent to Serian Hospital for treatment before being transferred to the Sarawak general hospital in Kuching the next day.

Laboratory test results yesterday confirmed that she has contracted the disease.

Dr Noor Hisham said her condition has deteriorated and she is now in the intensive care unit (ICU).

The rabies outbreak in Sarawak has already claimed the lives of two siblings, aged four and six, from Kg Paon Rimu – the epicentre of the outbreak.

The two died on July 4 after their parents consented to have their life support system removed. They were already brain dead.

The third victim, a seven-year-old girl from Kg Lebur in Gedong, is still in critical condition in SGH.

Dr Noor Hisham said the state Health Department and district Serian Health Office have been conducting joint active case detection (ACD) efforts covering 3,284 homes to identify cases of dog attacks. The departments found that 192 people had been bitten by dogs since April.

He said they have all been given a shot of the rabies vaccination. – July 12, 2017.