KUCHING: A total of 2,667 dogs were vaccinated in a rabies vaccination exercise for pets at Arang Road Basketball Court yesterday.

This brings the total number of animals vaccinated in the state to 13,969 dogs, 7,595 cats and 45 other animals.

Roads leading to Arang Road Basketball Court were congested as early as 9am with the reverberating sounds of dogs barking at the venue.

Many showed up early at the venue with their pets for staff from the State Veterinary Services Department (JPVS) to vaccinate.

Around 60 JPVS staff members were involved and around 5,000 vaccines were provided for the exercise from 10am to 4pm yesterday.

According to officials, members of the public living within a 10km radius of Sungai Maong Wet Market (declared a rabies-infected area on Tuesday) had been advised to get their pets vaccinated against rabies at the venue.

Sungai Maong Wet Market here and Kampung Serikin in Bau have been declared rabies-infected areas on July 25, bringing the total number of such areas in the state to 22 as of yesterday.

Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Youth chief Tan Kai and Youth Central publicity secretary Milton Foo were present to witness the exercise.

The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) secretariat said Petra Jaya is free from rabies for now.

A statement issued here claimed as a hoax the WhatsApp message that went viral claiming Petra Jaya a newly-declared rabies-affected area.

In Serian division, 18 areas were declared rabbies-infected namely Entebuh in Tebedu, Krait, Paun Rimu, Paun Rimu Bakung, Remun, Lebor, Seroban, Tangga, Ampungan, Mentong Berawan, Mentong Silaga, Engkabang, Tampek Sumpas, Rasau, Siburan bazaar, Serian town, Mile 45 of Kuching-Sri Aman Road and Temong Mura in Tebedu.

There are three in Kuching Division (Mile 5 Jalan Semeba, Sungai Maong Wet Market and Serikin in Bau) and one in Sri Aman Division (Rumah Janta Punggu Mawang).

Rabies has claimed five lives in Sarawak so far.

The latest victim Tinding Lambang, 52, from Kampung Remun, died from rabies encephalomyelitis last week.

According to a statement issued on July 18 by Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the victim was bitten by a dog in early May this year.