Stay away from seals, City of Cape Town warns after confirmed rabies case
Image: ALAN EASON
The City of Cape Town has cautioned people to stay away from seals after a confirmed rabies case.
It issued the warning on Friday after a case was confirmed by the Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Services.
It said a Cape fur seal off the coast at Big Bay had tested positive for rabies. “This seal died on May 22 and the laboratory results came in earlier today[Friday].
It warned people to avoid contact with and also keep their dogs and other pets away from seals.
“This precaution applies to the entire Cape Peninsula coastline. Any person bitten by a seal is urged to seek immediate medical attention and to notify the relevant authorities.
“The same applies to any pet bitten by a seal. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) hotline doctors have been advised to recommend post-exposure prophylaxis for anyone who is bitten by a seal,” it said.
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