The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County is issuing a rabies alert for components of the county. This is in response to a cat that examined optimistic on March 15.
This rabies alert is for 60 days. The middle of the rabies alert is at Poince Place, in Palm Coast, and consists of the next boundaries in Flagler County:
- Eastern boundary, Interstate 95, Palm Coast
- Northern boundary, White View Pkwy, Palm Coast
- Southern boundary, State Hwy 100, Palm Coast
- Western boundary, US Hwy 1, Bunnell
An animal with rabies might infect different animals that haven’t acquired a rabies vaccination. Domestic animals are in danger if they don’t seem to be vaccinated; rabies is at all times a hazard in wild animal populations.
Rabies alerts by well being departments usually are not uncommon. So far this yr, as of Wednesday, the Department of Health lists 1,565 instances of potential rabies publicity in Florida, together with 136 instances in Broward County, 125 in Miami Dade and three in Flagler. But it lists zero instances of human rabies, and 20 instances of precise animal rabies (together with the one from Flagler). Alachua had 4, Columbia County had three. Last yr there have been 76 instances of animal rabies within the state, 7,912 instances of potential publicity (33 of them in Flagler), and nil instances of human rabies.
The Centers for Disease Control experiences that “Cases of human rabies cases in the United States are rare, with only 1 to 3 cases reported annually. Twenty-five cases of human rabies have been reported in the United States in the past decade (2009-2018). Seven of these infections were acquired outside of the U.S. and its territories.” Only two of the 25 people survived. Rabies resulted from bites from dogs, bats and raccoons. But in each case of a canine chunk, the canine was not on American soil.
“The number of human rabies deaths in the United States has been steadily declining since the 1970’s thanks to animal control and vaccination programs, successful outreach programs, public health capacity and laboratory diagnostics, and the availability of modern rabies biologics,” the CDC experiences. “Yet each year, hundreds of thousands of animals need to be placed under observation or be tested for rabies, and between 30,000 to 60,000 people need to receive rabies postexposure prophylaxis.”
So whereas the chance of hazard ought to be saved in perspective, potential publicity raises severe issues and can’t be taken flippantly.
If you have got been bitten or scratched by a wild or home animal, search medical consideration and report the harm to DOH-Flagler by calling 386-437-7358.
If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, search speedy veterinary help for the animal, and phone Animal Control – Flagler Humane Society at 386-246-8612.
Rabies is a illness of the nervous system and is deadly to heat blooded animals and people. The solely remedy for human publicity to rabies is rabies particular immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate remedy began quickly after the publicity will defend an uncovered person from the illness.
Residents and guests are suggested to take the next precautions to forestall publicity to rabies:
- Avoid all contact with wildlife, significantly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. Never undertake wild animals or convey them into your home.
- Never deal with unfamiliar animals (wild or home), even when they seem
- Do not feed or unintentionally appeal to wild animals with open rubbish cans or
- Keep rabies vaccinations present for all
- Keep pets underneath direct supervision so they don’t come into contact with wild
- Prevent bats from coming into dwelling quarters or occupied areas in properties, church buildings, faculties, and different related areas the place they could encounter folks and pets.
For extra data on rabies, please go to FloridaHealth.gov.
