“THE outbreaks of dog rabies in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal are particularly concerning.”
This is according to Dr Jacqueline Weyer, lead medical scientist from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) who also emphasised that the rise in rabies cases can be drawn to some failure in the rabies control program, whatever the root cause of that may have been.
“The trends of rabies in dogs are directly related to the success of the control programs in dogs, and therefore the epidemiological curve of dog rabies cases, rises and falls over time. Vaccinations of animals, sterilisations to reduce animal numbers, and public education are the only ways to prevent this disease,” said Dr Weyer.
According to Fiona Miles, Director of Four Paws in South Africa, once a victim is bitten by an animal infected with rabies, the bullet-shaped virus enters the bloodstream of the previously uninfected animal before it becomes a host for the virus. The rabies virus will then begin to spread upstream in the host’s nervous system until it reaches the brain. The host, which might be a dog for example, then has just days to live with its last days spent in confusion, frothing at the mouth, and madness.– ISSUED: FOUR PAWS
- Free rabies vaccinations:
Every Wednesday between 11:00 and 12:00 at the Uitenhage SPCA kennels. There is no charge but donations would be greatly appreciated to help cover costs. The vaccinations are for both cats and dogs.
