Effectiveness of rabies control reviewed - Uggah

Uggah, who is also the committee chairman, said the activities were held by carrying out vaccination on ground zero and the surrounding areas within a 10-kilometre radius from the infected areas and transporting wild dogs out of these areas.

"Yesterday I met with Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister) and Veterinary Services Department director-general (Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam) to look at the strategies being undertaken at present.

"Together we were looking at and planning how to move forward and the main objective is to contain and eliminate this disease as soon as possible," he told a media conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya here today.

Asked on the outcome of talks by the special joint committee on prevention and control of rabies between Sarawak and Kalimantan, Indonesia, Uggah said he would obtain the report by this evening when he chairs the state disaster management committee meeting.

"The talks led by Datuk Jaul Samion (Deputy State Secretary (Rural Transformation) have just finished their meeting," he said.

As of yesterday, the committee has gazetted 20 areas in Sri Aman, Serian, Tebedu and Kuching as rabies infected areas, which claimed four children and one man so far.