South AfricaTraveler View

There is a rabies outbreak in Cape fur seals in Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa, including in the Cape Town area. Don't get close to or try to touch seals, no matter how they seem to be acting. This guidance applies even if commercial enterprises or others say it’s safe to do so. If you plan to surf or engage in other watersports in the area, talk to your provider about the need for rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis. Seek immediate medical attention if you are bitten by a seal, whether or not you have received pre-exposure vaccinations.

 

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Travel Health Notices

Be aware of current health issues in South Africa. Learn how to protect yourself.

 

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

  • Global Measles May 28, 2025 Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.

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Vaccines and Medicines

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Vaccines for disease Recommendations Clinical Guidance for Healthcare providers
Routine vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

Immunization schedules

COVID-19

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Cholera

There is no longer active cholera transmission and vaccine is not recommended.

Cholera - CDC Yellow Book

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to South Africa.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, are immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Vaccine dosing information - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to South Africa. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to South Africa.

Sex and Travel - CDC Yellow Book

Malaria

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of South Africa take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Transmission areas

  • Along the border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe
  • KwaZulu-Natal Province: uMkhanyakude District; the districts of King Cetshwayo and Zululand (few cases)
  • Limpopo Province: the districts of Mopani and Vhembe; the districts of Capricorn, Greater Sekhukhune, and Waterberg (few cases)
  • Mpumalanga Province: Ehlanzeni District
  • Kruger National Park

Drug resistance

  • Chloroquine

Species

  • P. falciparum (primarily)
  • P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax (less commonly)

Recommended chemoprophylaxis

  • KwaZulu-Natal Province (uMkhanyakude District); Limpopo Province (the districts of Mopani and Vhembe); Mpumalanga Province (Ehlanzeni District); and Kruger National Park: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine2
  • All other areas with malaria transmission (including the districts of King Cetshwayo and Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal Province, and the districts of Capricorn, Greater Sekhukhune, and Waterberg in Limpopo Province): No chemoprophylaxis recommended (insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only)4

See footnotes

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Measles

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Rabies

Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in South Africa.

Rabies is also present in some terrestrial wildlife species.

If rabies exposures occur while in South Africa, rabies vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis.

Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel.

For more information, see country rabies status assessments.

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Typhoid

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Typhoid fever vaccines licensed in the U.S.

Yellow Fever

CDC recommendations: Vaccine is not recommended.

Country entry requirements:

  • Direct travel from United States: Vaccine is not required.
  • Travel from countries with risk for YF virus transmission: Vaccine is required for travelers ≥1 year old; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission.3

See footnotes

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

Yellow Fever Vaccine and Malaria Prevention Information, by Country

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Non-Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Disease Name Common ways the disease spreads Advice Clinical Guidance for Healthcare Providers

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis
  • Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
  • Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
  • Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine

Leptospirosis

Schistosomiasis
  • Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.
  • Avoid contaminated water

Schistosomiasis

Avoid bug bites

African Tick-Bite Fever
  • Tick bite

African Tick-bite fever

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever
  • Tick bite 
  • Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF

Post-Travel Evaluation to Rule Out Viral Special Pathogen Infection

Avoid animals

Rift Valley Fever
  • Touching blood, body fluids, or tissue of infected livestock
  • Mosquito bite

Post-Travel Evaluation to Rule Out Viral Special Pathogen Infection

Airborne & droplet

Hantavirus
  • Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
  • Bite from an infected rodent
  • Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
  • Avoid rodents and areas where they live
  • Avoid sick people

Post-Travel Evaluation to Rule Out Viral Special Pathogen Infection

Tuberculosis (TB)
  • Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.
  • Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
  • Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
  • Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
Advice
Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.
Advice
  • Avoid contaminated water
Clinical Guidance

Avoid bug bites

African Tick-Bite Fever

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Tick bite
Advice
Clinical Guidance

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Tick bite 
  • Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF
Advice
Clinical Guidance

Avoid animals

Rift Valley Fever

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Touching blood, body fluids, or tissue of infected livestock
  • Mosquito bite
Advice
Clinical Guidance

Airborne & droplet

Hantavirus

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
  • Bite from an infected rodent
  • Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
Advice
  • Avoid rodents and areas where they live
  • Avoid sick people
Clinical Guidance

Tuberculosis (TB)

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)
  • Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.
Advice
  • Avoid sick people
Clinical Guidance

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Stay Healthy and Safe

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in South Africa, so your behaviors are important.

 

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Eat and drink safely

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Prevent bug bites

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Stay safe outdoors

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Keep away from animals

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Reduce your exposure to germs

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Avoid sharing body fluids

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Know how to get medical care while traveling

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Select safe transportation

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Maintain personal security

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Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for South Africa for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

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After Your Trip

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic. Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel.

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Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.