An elderly man was confirmed to be infected with Rabies in Kuala Langat yesterday (24 April 2022), making it the second case in Selangor so far.

The latest case involved an 85-year-old patient who was admitted to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) Klang last Wednesday.

Selangor Health Director, Datuk Dr. Sha'ari Ngadiman said the man was admitted to the ward after being referred by the Telok Panglima Garang Health Clinic due to anemia.

He said the examination found that the patient had a wound on his right leg that had not healed for the past two months.

"For the past two weeks, the man has also complained of headaches and loss of appetite as well as his changed behavior. Spinal fluid (CSF) samples and nuchal biopsies were performed yesterday by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) and he had tested positive for rabies,” he said in a statement today.

Sha'ari explained that the patient's condition is now stable and is still being treated in the HTAR isolation ward.

“The man was previously bitten by a wild dog in his residential area on Pulau Carey two months ago. He had received treatment from several private clinics until he was referred by the Telok Panglima Garang Health Clinic to HTAR,” he explained.

He added that rabies infection in humans can be prevented by washing the parts of the body bitten by dogs or other animals using running water and soap for 15 minutes.

“If a pet dog or cat is found to be becoming aggressive, the public should immediately seek treatment at an animal clinic and report to the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). In addition, any pet death of unknown cause must be reported to DVS for further investigation, ”he explained.

According to Sha’ari, the Selangor State Health Department (JKNS) will continue to monitor the rabies situation and share the latest information with DVS to ensure that infection prevention or control measures are implemented comprehensively. - UTUSAN

Reference Links - 
[1] Utusan Malaysia