A 44-year-old woman is the 16th person to die due to rabies in Sarawak.

The state health director Dr Ooi Huck stated that the woman experienced the symptoms since 28 November 2023 and died on 12 December 2023 (Tuesday), and the clinical samples confirmed that she has been infected by the disease.

It is also confirmed that the deceased had 6 pet cats that roamed freely and never vaccinated against rabies.

“One of her cats died two months ago. The woman, who had diabetes and high blood pressure, denied having a history of animal bites but based on clinical observation, she had old scratches and wounds and was constantly licked by her cats.

“However, she never sought treatment or rabies vaccination at a health facility,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Dec 14), reported FMT.

Dr Ooi reminded the public to take the preventive steps against rabies, which include seeking immediate treatment at a post-bite clinic for animal bites or scratches and getting a complete course of anti-rabies vaccination.

The anti-rabies vaccine is said to be available at 130 post-bite clinics at public health facilities and 29 private medical centres in Sarawak.

“Eleven hospitals also provide rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) jabs to high-risk cases,” Dr Ooi said, reported FMT