Rabies alert for KZN South Coast

Durban ‒ An urgent call has been made to residents of the KZN South Coast to have their pets vaccinated against rabies following reports of residents being bitten by a rabid dog.

Founder of non-profit organisation 4 Paws and A Tale Rescue, Nicky Koekemoer, said on Tuesday that there had been four positive cases in Craigieburn, as well as positive cases reported in New Haven, Scottburgh, Kelso and Amandawe where residents were bitten by the infected dog. She added that there were two more possible cases in Pennington.

4 Paws and A Tale Rescue regularly goes out to feed abandoned and vulnerable animals, as well as vaccinating against rabies. Koekemoer said an urgent vaccination campaign was needed.

“We went out and vaccinated 20 street dogs this morning (Tuesday) and are desperately pleading with people to vaccinate their animals and seek immediate medical attention if they have any interaction with a suspected rabid animal.

“People must insist on rabies treatment, even if medical staff are unwilling, because there is a lot of misinformation around rabies which is a highly contagious disease.

“Even if a person is not bitten, the saliva can get into an open wound and infect the individual,” she said, calling on authorities to get rabies vaccination campaigns underway “as a matter of urgency as this is becoming an epidemic”.

“Residents must also note that even animals kept on a property can come into contact with infected animals wandering along the fence line, so it’s really important all pet owners ensure their animal vaccinations are up to date.

“We’ve noticed that with lockdown regulations, even people who would regularly vaccinate their pets are failing to do so. With these recent cases of rabies reported on the KZN South Coast, it’s vital that pet owners take responsibility. There is no cure for rabies,” said Koekemoer, also advising that owners keep their pets away from street facing locations where they are more vulnerable to passing dogs.

Meanwhile IOL reported that on Monday, eThekwini Municipality in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development launched a free rabies vaccination campaign in Durban South areas to curb the spread of rabies.

Teams will be visiting Merebank, Austerville, Clairwood and the Bluff.

eThekwini spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said that rabies was prevalent in the city, with the south being most affected, followed by west and northern areas.

“Domestic dogs are the most common reservoir of the virus, with more than 99% of human deaths related to rabies being caused by dog-mediated rabies,” he said.

Mayisela confirmed the vaccinations would be free, adding: “Pet owners must bring their animal’s certificate from previous vaccinations. If they do not have one, a certificate will be issued on the day.”

For more information on the vaccination schedule in the eThekwini area call 031 311 5150/ 031 311 5153/031 311 5162

To find out more about 4 Paws and A Tale Rescue, contact Nicky Koekemoer on 084 626 5508.

Additional reporting: Karen Singh IOL

RABIES FACT CHECK: What is rabies?

Rabies is a highly contagious, fatal viral disease that can be transmitted through the saliva of dogs to other animals, as well as humans. There are two strains of rabies:

1. Furious Rabies

Infected people will be hyperactive and excitable and may display erratic behaviour. Other symptoms include:

• Insomnia

• Anxiety

• Confusion

• Agitation

• Hallucinations

• Excess salivation

• Problems swallowing

• Fear of water

2. Paralytic Rabies

This form of rabies takes longer to set in, but the effects are just as severe. Infected people slowly become paralysed, will eventually slip into a coma, and die.

What are the signs of rabies in dogs?

It’s important to note that some dogs may not show symptoms of rabies, so it’s important not to interact with any unknown dogs. However, some of the indicators of rabies in dogs are:

• Lethargy

• Fever

• Excessive drooling

• Sensitivity

• Erratic behaviour

What do you do if you come into contact with a rabid animal?

If you’ve been bitten or even licked by a suspected rabid dog, you must thoroughly clean the wound with disinfectant and seek urgent medical care. You will then be given a series of injections to stop infection, including rabies vaccine to prevent you from getting the disease. If left untreated, the rabies infection will be established. Rabies is an incurable disease and, left untreated, is fatal.

Independent on Saturday