Public urged to be aware of rabies as they travel during festive season

Deadly viral disease can be transmitted from animals to humans

As the holiday season approaches, the public and travellers are warned to be aware about rabies in dogs, Cape fur seals and other animals in South Africa. 

The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development, the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment, the health department and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) have warned the public to be aware of the threat posed by rabies in these animals. 

It said though rabies occurs in all nine provinces, rabies in dogs is common in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

The departments said multiple reports of attacks on humans by aggressive Cape fur seals have been reported in the past few months along the Cape coastline.

They said rabies has been found in Cape fur seals and is known to travel along the coastlines of Northern Cape, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, up to Algoa Bay.

“This is the first incidence of rabies being maintained in a marine mammal population. The public is urged to take note of this new risk of rabies in Cape fur seals and keep a respectable distance from these animals.”

The authorities said there had been human deaths attributed to rabies from dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North West in 2024.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that can affect all mammals and can be transmitted from animals to humans. The virus is transmitted in the saliva of infected animals through bites, scratches and licks.

Rabies affects the brain and is fatal once a human or animal shows clinical signs. However, it can be prevented through vaccination of animals and immediate medical attention for people exposed to an infected animal.

The public is urged to stay away from stray animals and not to touch animals they do not know.

TimesLIVE