The rabies outbreak continues to pose a serious public health threat in Sarawak, with two deaths from the virus recorded so far this year.
Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said that although human rabies fatalities are not new, the number of animal bites—especially from dogs—has remained high every month since the outbreak was first detected in 2017. Almost half of the reported bites now come from household pets rather than stray dogs.
“This proves that no animal is immune to rabies, whether it’s a pet or a stray,” he said during the state-level 2025 World Rabies Day celebration.
Dr Sim, who is also Sarawak’s Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, stressed that bites are not the only way the virus spreads. Scratches contaminated with infected saliva can also transmit the disease—including from cats, which are now showing positive rabies cases.
“In the past we focused only on dogs, but cats are also testing positive at about two percent. We are therefore suggesting that cat licensing be considered to monitor their vaccination status,” he said.
Sarawak Veterinary Services Department (JPVS) director Datuk Dr Adrian Susin Ambud reported that 45 out of 490 animal samples taken this year tested positive for rabies, the majority of them dogs. Since 2017, more than 278,000 animals have been vaccinated statewide, but high numbers of stray dogs make controlling the spread difficult.
So far this year 10,957 animals have been vaccinated—well below the actual need—and Dr Adrian urged more pet owners to take advantage of the free vaccines provided by the government. “Rabies vaccination is mandatory under Section 40 of the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance 1999. Owners can be fined if they fail to vaccinate their pets,” he said.
He added that sterilisation is also essential to control the stray dog population, the main vector of rabies transmission. Although local councils such as the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) offer subsidies for sterilisation, uptake remains low.
Pet owners are also responsible for keeping animals within fenced properties and preventing them from roaming public spaces to reduce the risk of infection and attacks. “If a dog shows symptoms of rabies, report it immediately to JPVS. Once symptoms appear, there is no cure, and the animal will become aggressive and dangerous,” he warned.
Since the outbreak was declared in Sarawak in July 2017, 85 human infections have been recorded, resulting in 78 deaths.
