Rabies advisory issued in Brevard County: How to protect yourself and your pets

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The Florida Department of Health has issued a rabies advisory in Brevard County.

Officials are warning residents and visitors to take precautions to avoid contact with wild animals.

When and where was the rabies case detected?

What we know:

The announcement from the Florida Department of Health comes after a bat tested positive on Feb. 18 near 1700 Clubhouse Drive in Viera.

How do you prevent rabies exposure?

What they're saying:

Officials with the Florida Department of Health said people and domestic animals should always avoid physical contact with wild animals, such as raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. These wild animals carry a higher risk of human exposure and a need for rabies post-exposure treatment.

Health care leaders recommend taking the following precautions to prevent rabies exposure:

Immunize your pets and livestock based on your veterinarian’s recommended schedule.
Keep pets under direct supervision and on a leash, and keep livestock secured on your property. If an animal bites your pet or livestock, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control at (321) 633-2024.
Avoid contact with wild or stray animals. Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract them with outdoor pet food, open garbage cans or other sources of food. If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal, seek medical attention, and report the injury to DOH-Brevard by calling (321) 634-6337, option 3.
Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Instead, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. Contact Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control at (321) 633-2024.
Prevent wildlife, including bats, from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, schools and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets.

What do you do if you're exposed to rabies?

By the numbers:

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 1 million Americans receive medical attention for an animal bite each year, some of which require rabies-related medical care.

While rabies is well controlled in the United States, the CDC says more than 4 million Americans report being bitten by animals each year. An estimated 800,000 receive rabies-related medical care from local or state health departments.

What you can do:

Those who are exposed to rabies should contact a health care provider or state or local health department immediately. State or local health departments can give guidance on the need for medical care following a potential animal exposure.

Public health and health care providers interview bite victims and examine the animal that has bitten them to determine if rabies-related medical care, including vaccines, is needed. They also consider how many animals in the area where the bite occurred have rabies.

Rabies vaccines are complex, expensive and limited. Each person who may have been exposed to rabies must be assessed quickly to determine if they need the vaccine.

CDC officials say people who need the vaccine and don't get it before symptoms start will most likely die, so this assessment is critical.

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