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Only four cases of rabies, but Penang culled 1,711 strays
Published:  Oct 7, 2015 3:32 PM
Updated: 8:43 AM

Advocates of anti-stray culling, Stop Killing, Start Vaccinating (SKSV), have questioned the authorities why the whole of Penang was declared rabies-infected when only four positive cases were identified.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had on Sept 17 declared that the state was a rabies infected area, and that all strays would be culled to prevent the disease from spreading.

However, the four cases so far were confined to only two locations, Pokok Sena in north Seberang Perai,and Balik Pulau on the island, SKSV secretary Lim Li Lian said in a statement today.

Lim said state Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) deputy director, Dr Kamarudin Mohd Isa, has expressed his concern that mass vaccinations might not work to control rabies.

She said Kamarudin stated his belief that there aren’t any examples of mass vaccination programmes that have resulted in successfully eliminating rabies.

“But the basis for his belief was factually incorrect,” Lim said, referring to the meeting SKSV representatives had with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek ( photo ) in Putrajaya yesterday.

Ahmad Shabery said after the meeting that federal veterinary officers would be heading to Penang to survey their facilities there and also look into alternative options to tackle the rabies outbreak in the state.

At the meeting, Lim said, SKSV pointed out data from DVS rabies epimediology reports that outline the total number of culled dogs and number of rabies infections in Malaysia’s three northern states.

Perlis, Kedah have higher rabies cases, but...

“Both Perlis and Kedah have higher numbers of rabies infections - Kedah with 18 cases and Perlis with 20 cases - as compared to only four cases in Penang.

“Even though Penang has the lowest rate of rabies cases, curiously, the report shows that it has culled the highest number of stray dogs and cats.

“As of Oct 5, Penang has killed 1,711 animals, compared with 1,693 in Kedah and 299 in Perlis," she noted.

Lim ( photo ) said since Sept 21, there has been no new case of rabies infection in Penang, but yet Penang’s culling effort increased dramatically.

Up until Sept 21, 283 stray animals had been killed in the state and after that, an additional 1,428 strays have been killed, she added.

“When we asked when they would stop the culling order, since no new case has been found, no answer was provided,” Lim said.

“It is important to note that in Perlis, culling mostly stopped after Sept 23, as only two more strays were culled between Sept 23 and Oct 5.

“SKSV has requested that the DVS provide clarification as to when it plans to halt the killing, and on what criteria the decision is based,” she added.

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