Rabies alert issued for Orlando area: Otter tests positive

Officials with the Florida Department of Health have issued a rabies alert for Orlando’s Delaney Park neighborhood and surrounding areas this week following a  positive rabies test in an otter.

Image by Claudia Peters from Pixabay

The 60-day alert centered on South Ferncreek Avenue and affecting the surrounding roads:

  • State Road 408/East Anderson Street
  • Interstate 4/Division Avenue
  • Holden Avenue
  • State Road 15/Conway Road

An animal with rabies could infect domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies. All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats, and coyotes.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

Dogs, cats and ferrets are legally required to receive rabies vaccinations in Florida.

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *