Sim is holding a watching brief for the federal health ministry in Sarawak. — Picture by Sulok Tawie

KUCHING, July 4 — Two siblings infected with the rabies virus in Serian district have died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) this afternoon, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian announced today.

The older sibling, a girl aged six, died at 1.43pm while her younger brother died three minutes later, said Dr Sim who is holding a watching brief for the federal Health Ministry in Sarawak.

“The other case is still ventilated and categorised as critically ill,” he added.

Dr Sim said the two siblings, from Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu, were earlier diagnosed as brain dead and their parents then agreed for the life support to be withdrawn.

The third case of rabies from Serian, which borders Indonesia’s Kalimantan, is a seven-year-old girl from Kampung Lebur, Gedong, who developed a fever on June 23 and was taken to the district hospital where she received outpatient treatment.

The three children were initially treated at the Serian District Hospital before being transferred to the SGH on suspicion of viral encephalitis and placed in the intensive care unit.

The Medical Department later confirmed that the trio were bitten by dogs two to three months ago.

At the moment, Dr Sim said 11 health teams are still carrying out Active Case Detection (ACD) activities at the affected areas in Serian district.

“As of today 19 villages have been visited covering, 2,098 doors/ houses and 6,094 people have been reviewed,” he said.

He added that the ACD teams are also implementing health education activities related to rabies and its preventive measures to the residents of the affected villages.

The cumulative number of dog-bite cases detected in the outbreak area of Serian District from April 1 till now is at 68 cases, Dr Sim said.

However, he was unable to disclose if any other dog-bite cases have developed symptoms linked to rabies.