VN September 2023

September 2023 9 play a key role in the verification of the disease, providing guidance concerning other exposed animals and their fate, as well as driving vaccination campaigns in outbreak areas. If you do not yet know your local State Veterinarian or Animal Health Technician, ensure that you become acquainted and save their contact details.  Contact animals must be isolated and assessed to determine their vaccination status, the potential of virus exposure and the potential risk of having become infected by the rabid animal. The State Veterinarian may order further quarantine and vaccinate a low-risk contact or may order euthanasia of a high-risk unvaccinated contact. Do not vaccinate contact animals before contacting the State Veterinarian. Additional resources Useful awareness resources are available at:  https://rabiesalliance.org  https://www.oie.int/en/disease/rabies/  https://www.dalrrd.gov.za/Branches/Agricultural- Production-Health-Food-Safety/Animal-Health/ information/pamphlets/pamphlet-main For further reading on rabies in animals and humans, please consult the very comprehensive “Rabies: Guide for the Medical, Veterinary and for Allied Professions – 2 nd edition, 2010”available at https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/rabies/ v Figure 4: Source: Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) Article