/ 21 December 2022

Rabies warning for holidaymakers visiting high-risk areas

Straydog
Do not approach, touch or pick up stray dogs and cats — report wandering animals to local animal welfare agencies (Photo by JENNIFER BRUCE / AFP)

Holidaymakers and residents are warned to be on high alert for rabies, particularly in the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. 

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development issued a notice on Tuesday, warning residents and visitors of the prevalence of the potentially fatal zoonotic disease in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and at the border between the Free State and Lesotho. 

“The coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape are particularly high risk [areas] for rabies. The public is advised not to approach, touch or pick up stray dogs and cats from these areas for whatever purpose,” warned the department. 

In 2021, the National Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases recorded 19 laboratory-confirmed human rabies cases in South Africa, of which one was fatal. 

A four-year-old boy died after he was exposed to a dog at his grandparents’ house in the OR Tambo district in the Eastern Cape. Of the 19 cases reported, nine were from the Eastern Cape, six from KwaZulu-Natal and four from Limpopo.

Visitors were further advised not to bring stray animals home as this could help spread rabies to other areas and provinces. The department urged members of the public to report lost or homeless animals to local animal welfare authorities. 

Aside from high risk areas, the department reminded that “rabies may occur anywhere in South Africa and, therefore, avoid handling animals that you do not know”. 

While the most common carriers of rabies are cats and dogs, any mammal can be infected with the disease. The rabies virus is transmitted to people through the saliva of an infected animal when it bites, scratches or licks a human.

Animals infected with the rabies virus may show behavioural changes that vary widely.  Some animals may appear aggressive, others can be overly friendly or visibly sleepy. 

“Infected animals may drool a lot, may not be able to swallow, be vocal (barking, whining, howling, etc.) [and] show odd behaviour,” according to the department. 

There is no cure for rabies once symptoms develop. However, there is a window of time between being bitten and developing symptoms when post-bite treatment can work.

“If you suspect that you have been exposed to an animal that may have rabies, it is critically important to wash the wound very well with soap under running water and to immediately seek preventative treatment at your nearest healthcare facility. Doing this can save your life,” said the department.