Durban — The eThekwini Municipality has urged members of the public to vaccinate their pets against rabies after several people were infected with the virus.
The municipality is rolling out a vaccination drive.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said that the municipality was partnering with the department of agriculture and rural development, as well as other stakeholders, in the vaccination campaign.
“This comes after several people were infected with rabies,” Mayisela said.
“Vaccination is free. Pet owners must bring their animal’s certificate from any previous vaccinations. If they do not have one, a certificate will be issued on the day.”
He said that domestic dogs are the most common carriers of the rabies virus, with more than 99% of human deaths related to rabies being caused by dog-mediated rabies.
“The public are urged to be cautious when encountering unvaccinated pets and are encouraged to seek medical attention if they are bitten or if they have interacted with a rabid animal,” Mayisela said.
He said rabies can be fatal in humans if it is not treated.
Symptoms of the infection in pets include fever, difficulty swallowing, excessive drooling, staggering, seizures, and even paralysis.
Last month, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported that in August, two cases of rabies were reported in two children from the Eastern Cape, one of which was confirmed by post-mortem brain biopsy and direct fluorescent antibody testing.
According to the NICD, “as of August 25, 2022, South Africa reported 10 laboratory-confirmed rabies cases”. It said all five cases in the Eastern Cape were reported in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, while the Mopani (2) and Vhembe (1) districts accounted for the cases in Limpopo. In KwaZulu-Natal, the eThekwini Municipality and iLembe district each recorded one confirmed case of rabies, the NICD said.
Daily News