Rabies is a zoonotic, vaccine-preventable viral disease that causes damage to the brain and spinal cord in infected animals and humans. A zoonotic disease is a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear.

As of 14 December 2021, a total of 19 laboratory-confirmed human rabies cases has been reported in South Africa for 2021. The cases are from Eastern Cape, KwaZuluNatal and Limpopo provinces. In addition, four probable rabies cases were reported from KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces. A pr ... obable case of rabies is defined as a person who has had a history of contact with a suspected or confirmed rabid animal and has developed an acute encephalitis with hyperactivity and paralytic signs and symptoms that progressed and resulted in death, usually by cardiac or respiratory failure, typically within ten days. more