SARAWAK Local Government and Housing Minister Prof Sim Kui Hian has denied making claims that Sarawak had demanded the health ministry explain why rabies vaccines were not available in the state at the onset of the outbreak in Serian.

On Friday, The Borneo Post reported that Prof Sim had also promised to raise the issue in Parliament “if he doesn’t get a satisfactory answer soon”.

The daily also reported Prof Sim as saying he had already sent the ministry his questions.

Prof Sim, who condemned the report as baseless, said there was never a vaccine shortage as reported.

He said rabies vaccine supplies were sufficient to deal with the situation, adding that the federal government had spent a large sum of money on buying more rabies vaccines to replenish stock.

Last Thursday, Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg, in a media conference after witnessing the mass vaccination of dogs at the Kota Padawan community hall, said Putrajaya had set aside RM2.4million for dog vaccines, while the state government had found RM500,000 for vaccines and equipment for frontline personnel.

Giving an idea of the costs, Prof Sim said a person bitten by a dog in any of the rabies-infected areas would require four dosages of the vaccines, with each dose costing about RM400, which the government was providing free of charge.

The Health Ministry on Saturday dismissed report.

Director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement the ministry had always ensured that all states maintain a stock of the vaccine as a precautionary measure, adding that should there be a need for immediate additional vaccines, stocks could be mobilised from other states.

Four victims, all children under the age of 7, have died from rabies encephalomyelitis.

A fifth victim, a 52 year-old man from Kampung Remun, reportedly died last night but the authorities have yet to confirm this.

This comes as another two areas – Kampung Entubuh, Tebedu, in Serian district, and Batu 5, Jalan Semeba, just at the outskirt of Kuching city – have been declared rabies-infected areas, bringing the total number to 20.

The areas are declared rabies-infected under Section 37(1) of the state’s Public Health Ordinance, 1990. – July 24, 2017.