The Veterinary Department has sent 6,000 doses of the rabies vaccine to Sarawak to contain the spread of the mad dog disease since yesterday.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the the vaccine would be given to dogs and cats which had not been infected with rabies.

He said the ministry had sent four veterinary officers to assist the Sarawak Veterinary Department with measures to contain the spread of the disease, including providing anti-Rabies vaccination to dogs and cats within a one kilometre radius of the two villages affected by the disease.

The villages are Kampung Paon in Sungai Rimu and Kampung Lebur Gedung, both in the Serian district, where there are nearly 160 dogs and 180 cats, he told a media conference after the opening of the Lumut Malaysian Fisheries College (KPML) at the Kampung Acheh Fisheries Complex here today.

The college was opened by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.

Ahmad Shabery said the ministry would extend the anti-rabies vaccination to cover up to six kilometre radius of the affected villages as part of the measures to contain the disease.

"We have a vaccine stock of up to 20,000 and 30,000 doses," he added.

Last Saturday, the Health Ministry confirmed that three children, two of them siblings, aged 4, 6 and 7 years, were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Sarawak General Hospital for rabies.

According to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, two of the victims had a history of being bitten by a dog about a month or two before manifestation of the symptoms, while it could not be ascertained whether the third victim was ever bitten by a dog.

-- BERNAMA