KUCHING: A five-year-old boy from Kampung Mambong in Penrissen Road, who was infected by rabies, has died.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement today that the victim died on Nov 2 while receiving treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham said test samples sent to the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) turned up positive for rabies.
"The child had been unwell since Oct 13, 2019 and was complaining of sore throat. On Oct 15, 2019, he developed a fever and was taken to a private clinic for examination.
"When his condition worsened, he was taken to the health clinic on Oct 18, 2019 and was diagnosed with Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI).
Dr Noor Hisham said the victim's family had two pet dogs in their home.
"It is understood that both dogs had never been given anti-rabies vaccines and were allowed to mix with wild dogs.
"The victim had never complained of being bitten by a dog or other animals. His case has been reported to the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department for further action," he added.
Dr Noor Hisham said there were 22 confirmed rabies cases in Sarawak since the rabies outbreak on July 17, 2017, with six detected this year.
A total of 21 victims had died, while a girl, who suffers severe neurological complications, has been on life-support equipment for the past two years.