The Sarawak health department said the first case involved a 22-year-old woman in Petra Jaya who was scratched by a stray cat in July, and did not seek immediate treatment for the wound.

The second case involved a 67-year-old housewife in Batu Kawa who was bitten by a stray dog on Aug 30.

She also had four pets who were not vaccinated against the disease and freely mixed with strays.

One of her pets had shown rabies symptoms recently and died, with the woman handling the carcass and throwing it into a river.

The department said both victims experienced symptoms such as fever, sensitivity to loud noises and light, and difficulty swallowing.

They were admitted to hospital last week before succumbing to the disease on Sept 19.

The department said there have been 87 reported cases of rabies since an outbreak was declared in Sarawak in July 2017, with 80 patients dying. This meant a high fatality rate of 92%.

It urged the public to exercise vigilance to prevent the spread of rabies, especially by avoiding getting bitten, scratched, or exposed to the saliva of stray animals.

“Immediately wash the wounds or body areas exposed to animal saliva (including one’s own pets) under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes and seek professional medical treatment,” it said in a statement.

It also urged pet owners to vaccinate their dogs and cats annually and not to handle carcasses of animals that died of unknown causes.