SARAWAK today reported a seventh person infected with rabies.

The victim is a 59-year-old man who live on Jalan Batu Kawa-Matang on the outskirt of Kuching, a declared rabies area last December. He was reportedly bitten by a “wild dog” on November 27.

Between July 1 and December 26 last year, there were 221 cases of dog bites in the area – the highest in the state.

The State Disaster Management Committee in a statement, said the man first sought treatment at a private clinic on the day he was bitten.

But on January 20, his health rapidly deteriorated and four days later, he was admitted to a private hospital for aching limbs and loss of strength.

The hospital then referred him to Sarawak General Hospital when he showed signs of hydrophobia, suffering from hallucinations and was aggressive.

The state Health Department received test result on Friday that confirmed the man had rabies.

Since the outbreak of the disease in July last year, five people – four of them children between the ages of 4 and 7 – had died after being bitten by infected dogs.

The fifth death was that of a 52-year-old man.

The death of two siblings on July 4 – 6-year-old Monica Mazlan and her 4-year-old brother Jackson – were the state’s first reported rabies deaths in 20 years.

The Kampung Sungai Paun Sungai Rimu siblings died at SGH after their parents consented to have their life support system disconnected.

The third victim was a 7-year-old from Kampung Lebor, also in the district of Serian, about 70km from Kuching.

She died on July 13, while the fourth victim, aged only 5, died on July 17. 

The 52 year-old man died on July 23.

A 7-year-old boy from Kampung Kuala in Gedong, Serian, is still on life support at SGH since his admission on August 3.

The state has now declared 28 areas as rabies infected. – January 27, 2018.