We have identified you may not be viewing TRAVAX optimally because the browser you are using is unsupported - click here.
We have identified you may not be viewing TRAVAX optimally because the browser you are using is unsupported - click here.
Since June 2024, a small number of cape fur seals in the Western Cape area have been found to be infected with rabies.
Most recently, according to media, a seal was found to have rabies in the Mossel Bay area on 25 August 2024.
The Western Cape Government advises that all human and animals contact with seals or any other wildlife must be avoided and that immediate medical advice be sought after an animal bite.
Anyone bitten by a seal in South Africa in 2024 should also seek medical advice without delay.
Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease of the central nervous system caused by the rabies virus. People are infected when saliva from an infected mammal comes into direct contact with broken skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose or mouth), usually from a bite, scratch, or lick.
Rabies is almost invariably fatal once symptoms develop. Only a small number of people with the disease are known to have survived.
All travellers should be:
Children are more vulnerable to rabies than adults, as they are less likely to understand the risk of interacting with animals, less able to defend themselves from an animal attack and may not report a potential exposure.
All travellers to endemic areas should be aware to carry out immediate wound care and seek medical attention immediately following potential exposure.
Effective rabies vaccines are available and prevent clinical rabies from developing. They can be used pre- and post-exposure.
See the TRAVAX Rabies and Rabies post-exposure guidance pages for further information.
