KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — The government is targeting to vaccinate 40,000 pets in Sarawak this year in an effort to curb the spread of rabies.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin said as of Sept 7, 27,668 pets in the state had been vaccinated.
“A total of 949 cases of rabies have been recorded in Sarawak since 2017, of which 72 cases have infected humans and resulted in 65 fatalities,” he told reporters after officiating the World Rabies Day 2023 celebration themed ‘Rabies: All For One, One Health For All’ at the Kuala Lumpur Veterinary Hospital today.
Meanwhile, Chan said preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease include encouraging pet owners to register for anti-rabies vaccination and have their pets sterilised.
“The ministry, through the Department of Veterinary Services, in collaboration with various ministries, departments, and agencies, has been working hard to prevent, control, and eradicate the disease since 2015,” he said.
He said all parties are responsible for ensuring the government’s desire to eradicate rabies completely by 2030 is realised.
