According to a report by the World Health Organization, about 59 000 people die from rabies each year, 40% of whom are children in Asia and Africa. Dog bites cause almost all human cases of rabies.
Miles said in a statement that rabies remains endemic in parts of South Africa, with domestic dogs responsible for the majority of human exposures and infections in the country. In light of World Rabies Day on 28 September 2026, she called on increased collaboration between animal health, public health and environmental stakeholders. The theme this year for World Rabies Day is ‘Stronger Together’.
“Rabies is a clear example of why human health and animal welfare cannot be separated. Protecting animals through vaccination and sterilisation protects people and contributes to healthier, safer communities,” Miles said.
Veterinarian Dr Danie Odendaal meanwhile warned that rabies is a highly contagious disease that poses a serious risk to cattle in South Africa. He too emphasised the importance of vaccinating dogs against the disease.
“This is a disease that can largely be prevented through the vaccination of pet animals such as dogs. Vaccinating pet animals is the most effective way to eradicate this disease. All suspected cases must be reported and managed in cooperation with veterinarians. Rabies is highly contagious. Rabid animals transmit the virus via a bite or saliva exposure. The virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. People should start post-exposure prophylaxis treatment as soon as they suspect exposure,” he told Farmer’s Weekly.
Odendaal stressed the fact that all cases and suspected cases of rabies be managed in close cooperation with veterinarians, and he cautioned people not to attempt to treat infected animals without the support of a veterinarian. Symptoms of rabies in cattle include weakness or partial loss of voluntary muscle movement and excessive salivation.
According to the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, rabies is included in the list of controlled and notifiable animal diseases in terms of South Africa’s Animal Disease Act (No. 35 of 1984).
