Maraisburg — It has been more than a year since Roodepoort last had a rabies scare, when cases were reported in Helderkruin and Mindalore.
Rabies is a contagious disease that is transmitted through the saliva of various animals, including dogs and cats.
The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) has issued a warning of a very real threat of rabies in the Lanseria and Muldersdrift area.
Rabies has been found in four jackals and one unvaccinated domestic dog in Muldersdrift, Komdraai and Lanseria.
Two human exposures have also been reported and both people received appropriate preventative treatment to prevent disease.
As yet, no cases of rabies have been reported in the Roodepoort area, but the community is urged to be vigilant.
The department cautioned the public in a press statement in which they said it is compulsory for all dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies, and that failure to do so is illegal and constitutes a public health risk.
Any person bitten by a strange animal should contact their local State Veterinarian or local Health Authority. Owners of domestic pets bitten by strange animals should also seek immediate treatment for their pets.
Members of the public should avoid touching or caressing strange, wild, injured or sick animals.
In order to ensure that there is a high degree of immunity against rabies in the pet population, the Gauteng Veterinary Services will have a booster vaccination campaign in various areas such as Muldersdrift, Zandspruit and Lanseria. However, GDARD’s Estelle Visser said that as of now, there are no plans to expand the campaign to cover Roodepoort.
“Currently we are just focusing on the areas where the infections occurred. We have no plans to extend the campaigns to Roodepoort,” she said.
When the cases were reported last year in Roodepoort, similar booster vaccination campaigns were held around the area, with a focus on Helderkruin and Mindalore.
SPCA manager Mandy Cattanach also urged the public to get their pets vaccinated immediately to prevent them contracting the disease.
“The only way we can know for sure whether an animal has rabies is if it is euthanised and the brain sent for testing. We had a rabies incident earlier this year but it was nothing intense, and was dealt with. For pet owners who want to have peace of mind, the solution is simple – take your pet to the vet, where it can be vaccinated. It is always better to be safe than sorry,” she said.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Randfontein Herald, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
