Malaysia's Sabah Tightens Control At Borders To Prevent Spread Of Rabies

PENSIANGAN (Sabah, Malaysia), Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah will continue to tighten control at its borders to prevent the spread of Rabies especially at the Nabawan, Sipitang, Tawau, and Kalabakan district, near Indonesia. The state’s Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Dr Daud Yusof said the state government also intensified efforts to vaccinate dogs found in areas close to the border. "Last year, we were shocked by the first victim of the Rabies outbreak in Kuching, Sarawak. The disease was found to have spread from Tebedu, Kalimantan (Indonesia),” he told reporters after attending a Rabies Vaccination Programme organised by the state Veterinary Services Department in Pagalungan, Keningau, near here Wednesday. Vaccination on about 500 dogs in villages close to the border started yesterday and will end tomorrow, said Dr Daud adding that the state was also taking precautionary measures as it had been free of the rabies outbreak since 2004. He added that all dogs brought to Sabah would need to undergo a quarantine process before being confirmed safe from any illness. "The community also needs to understand and abide by existing laws. Animals from other countries need to go through a special inspection before they are brought in," he said. -- BERNAMA