The health ministry has confirmed that Malacca is free from the rabies disease.

A six-year-old boy who was tested for suspected rabies at the Malacca Hospital has been found to be free of the mad dog virus.

Nevertheless, Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam said he had still not been informed of the true cause of the child’s illness as many other viruses could show similar symptoms as that of the rabies infection.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the Bera Hospital construction site in Bera today.

He said the outcome proved that rabies had only occurred in Serian, Sarawak, which had so far claimed the lives of four children since its detection on June 30.

On July 14, the Malacca health department director Dr Ghazali Othman had confirmed that a child was suspected of having contracted the disease at the Malacca Hospital, but was in stable condition.

The boy was allegedly bitten by a dog when the family returned home to Serian for Aidilfitri. The boy's father initially sent him to the Terendak Camp Military Hospital on July 12 after a month-long fever.

Subramaniam is optimistic the rabies virus in Serian can be controlled through cooperation and joint action between his ministry and the department of veterinary services.

He did not rule out the possibility the rabies cases in Serian could have been transmitted from Kalimantan, where the disease was detected, as there was active border movement in that area, including that of canines.

Meanwhile, in Seremban, state health director Dr Zainudin Mohd Ali said no rabies case was recorded in Negeri Sembilan.

He said, however, the authorities would continue to carry out monitoring and preventive measures, including detecting dog bite cases in the area for the purpose of treatment.

At the same time, Zainudin also advised all dog owners to have their pets screened at the veterinary services department if found to be unhealthy.

- Bernama