- Authorities have issued a rabies warning for Cape fur seals along South Africa’s coastline.
- Rabies, a deadly disease, has been confirmed in marine mammals for the first time and poses risks to humans and pets.
- Beachgoers are urged to maintain a safe distance and seek medical help immediately if exposed to potentially infected animals.
As travellers and locals are gearing up for the festive season and beach holidays, authorities have issued a rabies warning for visitors to stay away from Cape Fur seals.
In a statement last week, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in conjunction with the Department of Health and National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) warned visitors of the high risks.
“As the holidays approach, the public and travellers are warned about rabies in dogs, Cape fur seals and other animals in South Africa,” the statement read.
READ | Experts link Cape Fur Seal aggression to rabies in Western Cape
“Collectively, the departments wish to alert members of the public about high risk rabies areas in South Africa where the disease occurs in dogs, Cape fur seals and other animals.”
Deadly
Multiple reports of attacks on humans by aggressive Cape fur seals have been reported.
These attacks have occurred along the Cape coastline in the past few months.
“This is the first incidence of rabies being confirmed 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 respectful distance from these animals.”
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects all mammals and can be spread from animals to humans.
READ | Experts tackle Cape fur seal aggression and rabies outbreak
Authorities warned that the rabies virus is transmitted in the saliva of infected animals through bites, scratches and licks.
“Rabies affects the brain and is fatal once a person or animal shows clinical signs, but it can be prevented through vaccination of animals and immediate medical attention in people exposed to an infected animal.”
While there have been no reported human deaths reported in Cape Town this year, there have been human deaths attributed to rabies from dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North West.
Meanwhile, in a tragic case last week, a dog in Kommetjie was allegedly euthanised after a brutal attack.
Dog attack
In a social media post last week, a dog walker issued a warning to fellow residents after her dog was attacked at a beach in Kommetjie.
“Dear dog owners, I took my three dogs for a special walk on Forsythe beach as one of them is terminally ill,” the post read. “I let them run ahead of me to take their last photos together and a huge seal came straight out of the waves and attacked them viciously, they fought back with everything they had and I tried to scream and hit them off to get them away from the seal.”
Tragically, one of the dogs sustained bite wounds.
“Sadly my little Daisy thought she was going to protect the other two from the seal and she was bitten and had to be euthanised soon after. If your dog is bitten by a seal, euthanasia is the only option other than other lengthy quarantine and rabies vaccines controlled by the state vet.”
The public is urged to stay away from stray animals and not to touch animals they don’t know.
- They may drool a lot, become paralysed, are unable to swallow, continuously vocalise (barking, whining, howling, etc.), and become aggressive, or they may just appear weak and in a comatose state.
- Any mammal can become infected with rabies, including dogs, cats, livestock, jackals, foxes, mongooses, Cape fur seals, etc.
- Rabies in Cape fur seals are found and known to travel along the coastline of the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Eastern Cape (up to Algoa Bay).
- What to do if I am bitten or scratched by a rabid animal?
- If a person is bitten, scratched, or licked by an animal suspected to have rabies, they must wash the wound well with soap and running water and immediately seek treatment at the nearest clinic or hospital to prevent infection.
