OPPOSITION MPs should stop creating unnecessary public panic over recent rabies outbreaks, Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam has said, adding that the ministry had enough human vaccines in its stockpile.

“This attempt by the opposition, particularly from Sarawak, to exploit the situation politically and misrepresent facts misleads the people and creates a feeling of panic, which is something that I really must condemn.

“You don’t use disease outbreak to gain political mileage. The system is responding and will respond, so don’t create a panic, claiming the system has collapsed or won’t respond,” he said at a press conference in Parliament today.

He said the ministry had only used around 2,000 out of 8,000 vaccines in its stockpile for humans. Meanwhile, around 17,800 animals have been vaccinated by the Veterinary Services Department in Sarawak up to July 20.

He also added that the issue of vaccine shortages had not arisen and the opposition was trying to create a misperception about treatments given to those who were bitten.

“Our procedure is clear: if you are bitten in the locality, then we will give you the vaccine,” he said.

“However, if you are bitten in an area which is not in the locality, we will not give you the vaccine. It is not our standard procedure to do so.

“The attempts made to give the perception that doctors don’t want to give the vaccine because we have shortage or are trying to reduce usage is wrong,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said the government recognised the severity of the outbreak and was doing everything possible to contain it.

“We know it is now near the border of Kuching. We realise that the risk of further spread is possible because Kuching is a high density city,” he said.

The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee has declared two more areas rabies infected, bringing the total in the state to 20:

• Kg Krait
• Kg Paon Rimu
• Kg Paon Rimu Bakung
• Kg Remun
• Kg Lebor
• Kg Saroban
• Kg Tangga
• Kg Ampungan
• Kg Mentong Berawan
• Kg Mentong Silaga
• Kg Engkabang
• Kg Tampek Sumpas
• Kg Rasau
• Siburan Bazaar
• Serian Town
• Mile 45
• Kuching-Sri Aman Road
• Kg Temong Mura
• Kg Entubuh
• Rumah Janta Punggu Mawang
• Mile 5, Kuching
• Jalan Semeba, Kuching. – July 25, 2017.