The Department of Agriculture has issued a crucial warning to South Africans and travellers about high-risk rabies areas across the country, highlighting the potentially deadly viral disease that affects not only dogs but also Cape fur seals and various other mammals, reports Cape town Etc .
With human fatalities already reported from rabies infections transmitted by dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo in 2025, the urgency for public awareness can't be overstated.
Rabies, a disease carried by all mammals, is transmitted via the saliva of infected animals through bites, scratches, and licks. Once clinical signs appear, the disease leads to brain damage, and without immediate intervention, it is fatal.