The Camden County Health Department has actually been alerted by the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that a cat captured in Chesilhurst has actually evaluated favorable for rabies.
On March 8, a resident saw an ill cat on the side of the roadway and called animal control who got the cat and brought it to a regional veterinarian.
The animal shelter scheduled rabies screening at the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories in Trenton (PHEL). On March 15, the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services was alerted by PHEL that the animal was wild.
There are 4 possible human direct exposures to the cat. These individuals were alerted and were directed to their doctors to talk about rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The Camden County Health Department explained the threats of rabies to the Chesilhurst citizen.
“Although rabies is a serious illness, it can be prevented by early treatment,” said Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, intermediary to the Camden County Health Department. “If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.”
Betteridge advised county locals to observe a couple of easy guidelines, consisting of acting properly as an animal owner:
- Keep vaccinations as much as date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets.
- Keep your animals under direct guidance so they do not be available in contact with wild animals. If your animal is bitten by a wild animal, look for veterinary support for the animal instantly.
- Contact your regional animal control firm to get rid of any roaming animals from your area. They might be unvaccinated and might be contaminated by the illness.
Betteridge said it is likewise essential to prevent direct contact with unknown animals:
- Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes from afar. Do not deal with, feed, or inadvertently draw in wild animals with open trash bin or litter.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not attempt to nurse ill animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue firm for support.
- Teach kids never ever to deal with unknown animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Prevent bats from going into living quarters or inhabited areas in houses, churches, schools, and other comparable locations where they may be available in contact with individuals or animals.
When taking a trip abroad, prevent direct contact with wild animals and be particularly cautious around dogs in establishing nations. Rabies prevails in establishing nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Tens of countless individuals pass away of rabies each year in these nations.
More info is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/ or, locals can call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at (856) 374-6370.
