During the week of 26 September to 1 October the Johannesburg SPCA (JSPCA) will be teaming up with health practitioners, rabies experts and activists worldwide to celebrate World Rabies Day. The official date of the annual event is 28 September.
“We see this as an opportunity to show how important it is to prevent rabies in our community,” said Jolene Beyleveld, JSPCA public relations officer.
Since April of this year, Mogale City has had 15 confirmed cases of rabies, while Gauteng as a whole has had 22 confirmed cases.
These cases can be broken up as follows: 10 jackals, four cattle and one dog, all of which come from the Mulderdrift, Kromdraai and Lanseria areas.
In response to this outbreak, Gauteng Veterinary Services and Agriculture Research Council set out to stop the spread of the disease by vaccinating the animals in the area. A total of 4 292 dogs and cats, 565 cattle and 161 sheep have been vaccinated in the affected areas so far, particularly in and around Muldersdrift, Kromdraai and Lanseria. A total of 24 596 dogs and cats have been vaccinated in Gauteng.
There has been no cases of humans with rabies, however, a number of people have been potentially exposed through bites, scratches or licks of mucous membrane (e.g. mouth, nose). So far, a total of 34 persons have received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. Nine persons have been exposed to jackals, 14 exposed to rabid dogs and 11 exposed to rabid cows. All of these people have received post-exposure prophylaxes, which include rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin. Post-exposure preventative treatment is almost 100 per cent effective when administered correctly and timeously to humans following exposure to suspected rabid animals.
Photo: Conserv Security.
If you or someone you know is bitten, it is essential that the following is done:
• Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
• Seek medical attention immediately, and ask for a course of post-exposure vaccination against rabies
If someone sees an animal acting strangely, they should stay well away from the animal and advise others to do so. Inform the local authorities, such as the local SPCA immediately.
As rabies causes terrible suffering for infected animals and humans alike, and as it is a preventable disease, routine pre-exposure vaccination is essential. Preventative vaccinations are a simple procedure, and when it comes to vaccinating puppies, pet owners should ideally follow a vaccination schedule similar to the schedule for infants.
From 26 September to 1 October JSPCA will be offering free rabies vaccinations for all dogs and cats that are due for their annual rabies vaccination at no charge at their premises in Reuven.
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• Rabies confirmed, two people allegedly bitten
