PANAMA CITY — A rabies alert is in effect for two months across multiple areas of the city.
According to a press release from the Florida Department of Health in Bay County, the alert was sparked by a confirmed case of rabies in an unvaccinated dog that was found dead on July 11 along the 1200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Bouvard.
“DOH Bay is monitoring rabies among wild animals,” the release reads. “All residents and visitors should be aware that rabies is currently present in the wild animal population.”
The release notes the 60-day alert was issued for Bay County boundaries, including northern Bay near Baldwin Road, southern bay near Business Highway 98, eastern Bay near East Avenue and Western Bay near Frankford Avenue.
There are a handful of precautions residents can take to protect themselves and their pets from rabies. They include:
To report stray animals, call Bay County Animal Control at 850 767-3333. For more information on rabies, visit www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/rabies/.
“People and domestic animals should avoid physical contact with wild animals … which carry a higher risk of human exposure and a need for rabies post-exposure treatment,” the release reads. “If you are exposed to rabies, receiving appropriate treatment after exposure will protect you from the risk of rabies.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Attention, residents: Bay County DOH issues rabies alert after confirmed case in dead dog
Reporting by Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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