Massive drive to combat new rabies spike

THE KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is on a massive drive to eradicate rabies after a new spike of the disease in several districts, including King Cetshwayo, and the death of a toddler in the Ilembe district.

Although KZN veterinary staff have reduced rabies by 90% in the province since 2007, this latest drive is to ensure the disease is kept under control in light of the province’s first case of human rabies last month.

Working in partnership with the World Health Organisation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the province has conducted mass dog vaccination programmes that broke the disease across the province, establishing KZN as the leader in rabies control in Africa.

‘It is against this backdrop that the recent death of a two-year-old in Ilembe district shocked the department and strengthened our resolve to fight the disease so no additional lives are lost through rabies,’ said DARD in a statement.

DARD’s local teams last week conducted vaccination drives in key areas, including uMlalazi, with a target of vaccinating at least 70% of dogs in the most affected areas.

Educational materials were also distributed, and separate teams will conduct educational visits to local schools.

DARD is engaging with the KZN Department of Health to assist, along with Rotary in eShowe and the eShowe rabies education group, to amplify government effort.

‘Using mobile animal clinics, our vets and technicians from other districts will be deployed for more capacity to concentrate mainly on these affected areas, covering as many households with dogs and other domestic animals as possible.’

Compulsory Community Service vet, Dr David Chelopo based at the Owen Sithole College of Agriculture, said there has not been anything out of the ordinary, and that health technicians are busy with ongoing rabies vaccination campaigns.

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