Western Cape authorities breathed a collective sigh of relief this week as a rabies “outbreak” in Cape Town seems to have been contained.
The Western Cape minister of agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, confirmed that no further cases of rabies were detected in Khayelitsha following two rabies cases that had been reported in the Mother City – for the very first time.
Since the outbreak, animal health technicians have been hard at work vaccinating dogs and cats in the area, and the department says that no further cases have been reported.
Thanks to a door-to-door campaign by veterinary service officials and animal welfare organisations, more than 900 dogs and ten cats have been vaccinated since.
According to Meyer, “Persons and animals in contact with the original two cases have been traced and appropriate follow-up actions are taken, including vaccinations and medical treatment.”
In addition to this, all dogs and cats within a 1km radius of the confirmed cases have been vaccinated.
No vax campaigns in 18 months
With the rabies outbreaks in both Cape Town and Gauteng recently, public health professionals are suggesting it may be partly an effect of Covid-19 and the pressure on the country’s health system.
It is debated that the focus on public health management programmes – including programmes to control other infectious diseases like rabies – have moved to the back burner.
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Dr Gary Buhrmann, state veterinarian in the Western Cape, tells Food For Mzansi that although there were no budgetary restrictions for infectious diseases due to Covid-19, they have been restricted for the last 18 months from entering township areas for rabies vaccination campaigns.
He stressed, however, that from a veterinary perspective the rabies cases in Khayelitsha are not necessarily related to Covid-19.
“We suspect that one of the dogs was probably brought in from the Eastern Cape, already infected, and only started showing symptoms once here as we have never had a single case here before,” says Buhrmann.
Report signs of rabies
Animal health technicians, together with animal welfare clinics in Khayelitsha, continue to vaccinate dogs and cats in high-risk areas regularly.
The department of agriculture supplies free rabies vaccines to about 19 welfare clinics in the Boland and Cape Metro area. This equates to about 30 000 doses to ensure the risk of rabies spread remains as low as possible.
The department encourages pet owners who were not home at the time of the official visits and who still need their pets to be vaccinated, to contact the office of the state veterinarian on 021 808 5253. Alternatively, visit the nearest animal welfare clinic to arrange vaccination.
Members of the public are also encouraged to report any signs of rabies to their nearest vet, animal welfare clinic or the state vet office at 021 808 5253.
Signs of rabies include sudden changes in behaviour (including aggression, confusion or anxiety), weakness, drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, seizures, muscle spasms and paralysis.
These symptoms worsen over time, and death occurs within two to ten days.
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