SARAWAK will hold talks with Indonesia on how they can work together to stop rabies infected animals in West Kalimantan, particularly dogs, from crossing the border into southern Sarawak.

This comes as health authorities in Sarawak are grappling to contain the spread of the viral disease, which had already claimed the lives of four young children.

The latest outbreak of rabies, first detected in May in Kampung Paun Rimu Bakung in Serian, has now come to within 11km of Kuching after a rabid stray was detected in the former resettlement village of Siburan.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said today that a Sarawak delegation, jointly headed by Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas and Minister of Local Government and Housing Prof Sim Kui Hian, will meet with the Indonesian Consul-General in Kuching Jahar Gultom, Kuching, tomorrow for “exploratory talks”.

The chief minister told reporters at Kota Padawan community hall, 16km from Kuching – where he was witnessing a mass vaccination of dogs this afternoon – that Sarawak will propose creating an “immune belt” along the border in southern Sarawak.

Under the proposal, all dogs and cats on both sides of the border are to be vaccinated against rabies and their movements would also be restricted.

Abang Johari said since the town of Lachau – a popular rest stop for travellers along the Kuching-Sri Aman road and only a few minutes walking distance to the border – was declared a rabies-infected area yesterday, all Sarawak border towns, villages and settlements had become susceptible to the disease.

To date, four villages close or straddling the Sarawak-Kalimantan border – Kpg Temong Mura in Tebedu, Kpg Paon Rimu Bakung in Serian, Lachau and Rumah Janta Punggu Mawang also in Sri Aman – have been declared rabies-infected.

Lachau was also declared so after a man from Sri Aman was bitten by a rabid dog while he was at a rest-stop there.

Abang Johari said to date the federal government had spent RM2.4 million in buying rabies vaccines while the state government had contributed RM500,000 in buying vaccines, protective clothing and other equipment for front line workers.

West Kalimantan is also battling to control a spike in rabies cases with 11 regencies now reported to be infected areas.

West Kalimantan Food, Husbandry and Animal Health Department had said the disease had been spreading since May and the infected areas include Kapuas Hulu, Kubu Raya, Mempawah and North Kayong.

According to a report by online news portal Jakarta Informer, department head Abdul Manaf, pointed to three factors which have seen the disease spread across West Kalimantan: the mating season resulted in more opportunities for contracting and spreading the disease; wild dogs move into townships and villages during the hot, dry season looking for food; and dog traders, often unaware of the health status of the animals, move them around.

The first two factors are reminiscent of the spread in Sarawak. – July 20, 2017.