AGGRESSIVE seals have been viciously attacking beach dwellers in Cape Town as the major tourist destination declared a rare outbreak of rabies in the animals. At least 11 Cape fur seals have tested positive for the deadly bug so far, in the second-ever recorded case of the disease in the sea creatures. Scientists have called on anyone who had been injured by a seal along South Africa’s coastline to see a doctor urgently.
This is because quick treatment and vaccination within 24 hours of a bite are essential for stopping the disease from becoming fatal. Several reports of aggressive seals attacking and biting surfers unprovoked have spurred fears that they might start infecting people with the incurable bug. Rabies is a viral disease mostly spread to humans and other animals through the saliva of infected animals and can take months to incubate.
Once symptoms set in - which can range from a headache right through to foaming at the mouth, or being petrified of water - the disease becomes virtually 100 per cent fatal Earlier this year, a seal attacked at least three surfers in the waters off Muizenberg beach. "This little seal came up at me at high speed," one of the surfers said in a video posted on Facebook in May. "It lurched onto my back and bit a hole into my wetsuit over here and kind of bit me on the backside.
" The same angry seal then attached itself to his surfboard and started chewing into the board. "Eventually it let go, but then it kept coming back at me all the t.
