ACHD Issues Rabies Precautions for Residents of Marshall

June 29, 2017 Bernadette

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2017

Contact: Melissa Wade
Public Health Information Officer
412-578-8312 (office)
412-339-7995 (cell)
[email protected]

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is advising residents in Marshall Township of a raccoon found under a house in the 2000 block of Warrendale Bayne Road. The Health Department reminds all county residents to avoid contact with wild animals. Residents should have their pets vaccinated, and watch for unusual behavior.

“Well-intentioned efforts by individuals sometime can result in unnecessary exposure to pathogens like the rabies virus,” said Health Department Director, Dr. Karen Hacker. “We strongly advise Baden residents to stay away from wild or stray animals, especially in the area where the rabid raccoon was, and if animals appear to be acting strange or become threatening, call your local animal control service, the police or the Pennsylvania Game Commission.”

Any individual who is bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to saliva from a stray or any other animal, should immediately cleanse the contact area with soap and water, seek emergency medical treatment and call the Allegheny County Health Department, 412-687-ACHD (2243), to report the incident.

Rabies is a virus transmitted by an animal bite or scratch. It is almost always fatal when exposures are left untreated. The rabies vaccine is highly effective when given promptly after an exposure, but is still a major expense and inconvenience that can be avoided. The best prevention is to avoid stray animals, wild animals or those acting strangely as they can be potentially rabid.

So far this year, a total of five rabid animals have been reported in Allegheny County: two (2) bats and three (3) raccoons.

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Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, Director
Allegheny County Health Department – Public Information Office
542 Fourth Avenue │ Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-687-ACHD (2243) │ Fax: 412-578-8325
www.achd.net

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