Gilmer County Events Raise Awareness for

World Rabies Day

Ellijay (GA) – Rabies is 100% preventable. Yet rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year. In the United States, one to two people die annually and there were more than 6,000 reported cases of animal rabies in the U.S. in 2012.

World Rabies Day is on September 28. Officially launched in 2007, this day aims to raise awareness about the public health impact of human and animal rabies.

Andrea Martin, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager, stated, “World Rabies Day is another great opportunity to educate residents on rabies prevention. As part of this focus, I will be providing rabies information to over eighty kids attending afterschool care at the Gilmer County Boys and Girls Club on September 29th. Additionally, a local low-cost rabies vaccine clinic will be held on September 27th and I encourage residents to call my office for more details at (706) 635-6050. Also, our office will be represented at this year’s Senior Health Fair at Gilmer County High School on September 27th from 7:30 to 11 A.M. We’ll place a special emphasis on rabies there.”

What can YOU do to prevent rabies?

Vaccinate your animals and keep them away from wildlife that can spread the disease.

For more information on rabies and rabies prevention, log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/worldrabiesday.