Scientists in South Africa have discovered an outbreak of rabies in seals, marking the first known instance of the virus spreading among sea mammals. At least 24 Cape fur seals were found dead or euthanized along South Africa's west and south coast, all testing positive for rabies. Rabies, a fatal virus that affects mammals and can be transmitted to humans, spreads through saliva, primarily via bites or grooming.
While rabies is commonly found in terrestrial animals like raccoons and domestic dogs, its emergence in marine mammals is unprecedented. The only previous case involved a ringed seal in Norway in the 1980s, likely infected by a rabid arctic fox.
