Vaccines for rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) are now, for the very first time, available in South Africa. The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development confirmed that vaccines have been successfully imported.
The outbreak of RHD in November last year caught the agricultural sector off guard when the disease was confirmed in parts of the country. South Africa had been historically RHD-free up until the first outbreak in November 2022 and vaccination against the disease was not previously available or allowed in the country.
As it stands, South Africa currently has 218 open RHD outbreaks reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
Most of these outbreaks occurred in the Northern Cape (65 outbreaks). The Western Cape has 41 outbreaks, while a smaller number of outbreaks were reported in the Free State (6) and Eastern Cape (5). Most recently, an outbreak was confirmed in Gauteng.
“The vaccine has now been successfully imported and rabbit owners have the option to prevent or control the disease by requesting vaccination through their private veterinarians,” Reggie Ngcobo, spokesperson for the department, said.
Source still unclear
It is still unclear how the disease could have entered the country since the importation of rabbits and hares is prohibited. The department previously communicated that it would investigate whether illegal importation could be the source.
Ngcobo told Food For Mzansi the department still suspects illegal importation. The investigation is ongoing, he said.
The department warned that carcasses of RHD-infected rabbits may be a significant source for viral spreading since the virus seems to be highly resistant and stable, even when exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
“Even though biosecurity measures are difficult to implement in wild populations, rabbit owners are advised to practice good biosecurity, ensure that their rabbits are securely confined, and prevent any contact with other rabbits or hares,” Ngcobo said.
Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act (Act No 35 of 1984) states that it is the responsibility of the owner of animals and the owner and manager of the land on which animals are kept, to prevent disease from entering the animal population and if already present, to prevent the further spread thereof.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any dead or dying rabbits or hares to the nearest State Veterinarian for investigation.
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