According to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, a rabies outbreak has been detected in at least five provinces in South Africa.
Provinces where the rabies outbreak has been detected
In a statement, the department noted that while rabies is a common animal disease that could break out at any given time, five provinces have recently reported an increase in cases.
Therefore, efforts have been made to inform interprovincial travellers, pet owners and local citizens from the following provinces, to practice extreme caution when handling stray dogs, cats and animals generally not well-kept:
- Eastern Cape;
- Free State;
- KwaZulu-Natal;
- Limpopo; and
- Mpumalanga
“The coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape are particularly high-risk areas for rabies. The public is advised not to approach or pick up stray dogs and cats from these areas for whatever purpose, and to report such animals to the nearest welfare organisation, SPCA or the police station,” the department warned.
Is a rabies infection deadly?
At a time when South Africans are already dealing with threats of a new COVID-19 super variant said to have the hallmark features of the highly transmissive Delta strain, the rabies outbreak reported in the provinces listed above only adds to deepening frustration around the state of our healthcare system.
What’s worse, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease.
“The rabies virus infects the central nervous system. If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a potential rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain, ultimately resulting in death,” the CDC warns.
The virus, the department explained, “is transmitted through saliva of an infected animal when it bites, scratches or licks a person.”
The only practical way to avoid a rabies infection is:
- vaccinating pets;
- staying away from wildlife; and
- seeking medical care after potential exposures before symptoms start