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ALOR SETAR – A 31-year-old local man from Kubang Pasu has died from rabies, marking the first human case of the disease reported in Kedah since 1998.
Kedah State Health Department (JKN Kedah) said in a statement that the man had a history of being bitten by a stray dog in August.
It said the victim sought treatment at a health facility following the incident but did not receive rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
“The victim began experiencing fatigue, weakness and numbness in his right upper limb on Sept 18.
“His condition subsequently progressed to difficulty swallowing, hydrophobia, aerophobia, anxiety and behavioural changes on Sept 22, consistent with the clinical manifestations of rabies,” it said on Saturday.
JKN Kedah said the victim sought medical treatment again on Sept 23 before being referred for further treatment and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
It said clinical samples were taken on Sept 24, while laboratory test results on Sept 26 confirmed the rabies infection.
“Following confirmation of the case, JKN Kedah, together with the Kubang Pasu District Health Office (PKD), Kedah Veterinary Services Department (DVS) and relevant agencies, implemented control and prevention measures.
“These measures included active case detection, health education, strengthening surveillance of animal bite cases, risk assessments and control measures against stray animals in the affected areas,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry (MOH), together with JKN Kedah and relevant agencies, was conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation to identify the source of infection and the victim’s route of exposure.
The investigation also covered his travel and exposure history, contact identification, risk factors and analysis of the incident timeline.
As of August, a total of 502 animal bite and scratch cases had been reported in Kedah.
Of the total, 65.3 per cent involved dogs, followed by cats at 23.1 per cent and other animals at 11.6 per cent.
Some 56.2 per cent involved pets, while 43.8 per cent involved stray animals.
JKN Kedah reminded the public that rabies could be transmitted through bites, scratches or exposure to the saliva of infected animals.
The public was advised to ensure pet dogs and cats received anti-rabies vaccinations according to DVS recommendations and to avoid approaching, touching or feeding stray animals.
Anyone bitten or scratched by an animal should immediately wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes before seeking examination and treatment at the nearest health facility.
