The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has revealed that 185 laboratory-confirmed animal rabies cases and seven human deaths were reported up to September 2 this year.
As part of an ongoing awareness campaign tied to World Rabies Day, which was observed on Saturday, the department called for urgent action to prevent further fatalities through vaccination and public vigilance.
Rabies, a fatal viral disease transmissible from animals to humans, has claimed the lives of three people in KwaZulu-Natal, three in the Eastern Cape, and one in Limpopo this year.
“Although rabies is an unfortunate reality, it is fully preventable,” the department said in a statement.
“Rabies is a viral disease that can infect any mammal, and once symptoms appear, it is 99,9% fatal. It is crucial to be aware of the common signs of rabies, which include changes in behaviour and neurological symptoms.
“Animals infected with rabies show changes in behaviour and neurological symptoms.
“These may include an animal drooling more than usual, becoming paralysed, unable to swallow, continuously vocalising (barking, whining, howling, etc) and becoming aggressive.
Additionally, an animal may just appear weak and unresponsive.”
According to the department, the World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health and Food and Agriculture Organisation have set a goal to eliminate dogmediated human rabies by 2030, giving South Africa only six more years to meet this target.
The department emphasised that “dog-mediated rabies in humans was fully preventable”.
It urged all pet owners to ensure their dogs and cats are vaccinated, especially as the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984) mandates that all pets must be vaccinated against rabies to protect both animals and humans from this deadly virus.
The vaccination schedule for pets includes an initial vaccine at three months, followed by a booster within a year, and subsequent boosters every three years. In high-risk areas, annual vaccinations are encouraged.
“Rabies is endemic in South Africa,” the department stated, urging pet owners to take responsibility and vaccinate their animals as a matter of public safety.
The department said rabies cases were particularly concentrated in the eastern parts of the country, including in KZN, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, and the eastern Free State along the Lesotho border.
However, it said rabies is present in all nine provinces, affecting a range of animals including dogs, cats, jackals, foxes, mongooses, and even seals.
The department highlighted the risks posed by travelling with unvaccinated pets. “Dogs and cats are often moved between provinces by travellers, workers or holidaygoers, which can easily cause the spread of rabies to any area if these animals are unvaccinated and incubating the disease.”
It said vaccinated pets act as a crucial barrier, not only protecting the animals themselves but also safeguarding their human families and communities. A vaccinated pet exposed to rabies is protected from contracting or spreading the disease, significantly reducing the risk to humans.
If a person is bitten, scratched or licked by an animal suspected of carrying rabies, immediate action was critical, the department warned.
“The person needs to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water and immediately seek treatment at his/her nearest clinic or hospital to prevent rabies virus infection.”
Timely post-exposure treatment can prevent the virus from developing into a fatal infection, but failure to seek or complete treatment can result in death.
The Mercury