A man was bitten by a stray dog in August. Weeks later, the 31-year-old man from Kubang Pasu, in Kedah, Malaysia, developed rabies symptoms and died on September 27, 2026. According to the state Health Department, he received care after the bite but no post-exposure preventive treatment.
Symptoms began on September 18 and worsened four days later: difficulty swallowing, hydrophobia, aerophobia, anxiety, and behavioral changes. On the 23rd, he sought care again and was admitted to intensive care. Tests confirmed the infection on the 26th, one day before his death.
Authorities described it as the first human case of rabies in Kedah since 1998. They activated control measures and were continuing to investigate the source of the infection and the route of exposure.