Rabid Seals Strike Fear in South Africa
An outbreak of rabies among seals in South Africa has prompted the South African public health authority NICD to issue a warning.
So far, nine seals have tested positive for the highly dangerous and deadly disease. Several surfers have been bitten by seals, reports The Guardian.
Local authorities, together with the research organisation Sea Search, have decided to retroactively test dead seals for the virus.
– Fortunately, Sea Search has saved 120 (seal) brains over the past two and a half years, says one of the researchers.
Dead seals potentially carrying rabies have also been washed up on Cape Town beaches, reports South African news site News24. Despite concerns about the infection, the seals have remained on the beach for days.
– What happens if our animals or children get close to a seal? And others who have not been informed about the rabies outbreak? We could end up in a new epidemic, a local resident told the site.
Rabies is a viral disease that occurs in many parts of the world and is transmitted from animals to humans.
The disease is transmitted through saliva and mucous membranes.
The incubation period is usually three to six weeks but can be both longer and shorter.
Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Sweden has been rabies-free since 1886, although variants of the disease are likely to be found in bats in Sweden as well.
Source: Public Health Agency of Sweden