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New suspected rabies victim emerges in Serian, Sarawak

KUCHING: A girl from one of the five villages categorised as a rabies-infected area in Serian has been admitted to hospital over fears she had contracted the virus.

The victim was admitted to the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) as she developed symptoms related to the virus.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the victim hailed from Kampng Lebur, which is the same village of the third victim who had the virus.

"The hospital has already conducted a blood test. We will have to wait for the result before any confirmation could be made.

"The girl has shown some similar symptoms (of rabies), thus, she was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The hospital is monitoring her condition closely," she told the reporters after visiting the third victim here today.

Rohani, however, declined to further elaborate as the case has not been confirmed yet.

"I believe the doctors are doing their best, so, I don't want to comment more but let us pray together," she added.

Rohani said the third victim, a seven-year-old girl, remains in critical condition.

"It has been a week since she was admitted here, but she's still critical," she added.

Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, however, told the New Straits Times that there have been no new cases of people having contracted rabies to date.

Last Saturday, three confirmed rabies cases were recorded in the state.

All three, including two young siblings, came from the Serian district, about 80km away from the city.

The siblings, aged four and six, died after the parents agreed to withdraw their life support on Tuesday as they were already diagnosed as being brain dead.

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