By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Fifteen people have died from rabies since the start of 2026, while 115 laboratory-positive animal cases were recorded in the first seven months of the year, the Department of Agriculture (DOA) has said.
As of 26 August, the human death toll comprised seven confirmed and two probable cases in the Eastern Cape, five confirmed cases in KwaZulu-Natal and one confirmed case in Limpopo.
The department said rabies remains a serious threat across all nine provinces, with significant hotspots in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
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On Wednesday, the DOA announced that South Africa will join the global observance of World Rabies Day on 28 September under the theme “Stronger Together”.
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