🚨 The Gist: A fox near Wayside Court in Lilburn tested positive for rabies after biting a resident on June 3, prompting Gwinnett County officials to advise residents to exercise caution around animals behaving unusually.
🤔 Why It Matters: Rabies, a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system, can be transmitted to humans and pets through bites or scratches from infected wild animals like foxes and raccoons. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans.
🐶 Protecting Your Pets:
- Ensure your pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.
- Unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to a rabid animal must be strictly quarantined for four months and vaccinated one month before release.
🚑 If You’ve Been Bitten or Scratched:
- Seek medical care immediately and inform the healthcare provider of the exposure.
- Contact the Gwinnett County Health Department at 770-339-4260 and ask for the on-call epidemiologist.
- Report the animal to Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Bite Office at 770-339-3200 ext. 5576.
❓ Your Take: How can communities work together to prevent the spread of rabies and protect both humans and pets from this deadly virus? Share your thoughts in the comments!
