- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Ellijay (GA) – Health officials announced today that a dog in Gilmer County, Georgia was quarantined after potential exposure to a rabid raccoon.
Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager Andrea Martin said that on March 30, the owner of the dog submitted the dead raccoon to their office for rabies testing after finding the dog at the owner’s residence in the Boardtown Road area with blood on its mouth and then discovering the body of the raccoon on the property.
Martin sent the raccoon to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing and the positive results were reported on March 31.
No bites or scratches were observed on the dog; however, officials strongly suspected it fought with the raccoon. Since the dog was not vaccinated against rabies, it is being isolated under a strict six-month quarantine at the owner’s residence and will be monitored by Gilmer County Environmental Health staff.
There was no human exposure in this case.
Martin strongly advised residents to maintain rabies vaccinations in pets.
“By maintaining rabies vaccinations in our pets, we are not only protecting our animals, we are protecting ourselves, our family and our community,” said Martin. “If our pets are exposed to rabies and are not vaccinated, they can spread the deadly disease to us and to others.”
Martin said that an upcoming opportunity to get pets vaccinated for rabies at a reduced cost will be at the Gilmer County Vaccine Clinic hosted by the VCA Appalachian Animal Hospital on Saturday, April 23. (Click here for details.)
For more information about rabies and its prevention, contact the local county environmental health office. In Gilmer County, the phone number is (706) 635-6050. Information is also available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/rabies.
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- Written by Jennifer King
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It's the One-Stop-Spot for School Students' State Health Requirements!
Prepare your child for the upcoming school year! The Cherokee County Health Department is conducting a Back-to-School Health Clinic on Tuesday, May 3rd from 2 to 6 p.m. at public health department locations in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings will be available: Total cost for screenings is fifty dollars. Also, immunizations will be provided for school-age children for $21.90, each (for uninsured or underinsured). Medicaid (including Amerigroup, Peachstate and Wellcare), Peachcare for Kids, HUMANA, AETNA, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (immunizations, only), CIGNA and Coventry are accepted. The health department location in Canton is1219 Univeter Road and the address in Woodstock is 7545 North Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.
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- Written by Jennifer King
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
April 6, 2016 Nancy Nydam
(404) 657-2462
Protect Against Mosquito Bites During and After Travel
DPH and Hartsfield-Jackson Partner to Prevent Zika Spread
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) in collaboration with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is urging travelers to protect themselves from mosquito bites and help prevent the spread of Zika virus. As of this date, no locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported in Georgia or anywhere in the United States, but cases have been reported in returning travelers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued travel warnings for 41 countries and some U.S. territories where there is ongoing Zika virus transmission, and that list continues to grow. There are many Georgia companies with worldwide business interests which necessitate frequent travel to these areas. In addition, many of these places are popular tourist destinations, including the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Rio.
“As the region’s global gateway we believe it is our responsibility to work with our health partners to educate the public about Zika virus,” said Miguel Southwell, general manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “The safety and security of our guests and employees at Hartsfield-Jackson is a top priority. “
Signs have been placed throughout the airport, at the U.S. Customs area, and at baggage claim alerting travelers about Zika virus and offering protection and prevention measures when traveling to Zika-affected areas. At the request of ATL and DPH, airport concessionaires have stocked and made available for purchase EPA-registered insect repellents. Travelers should be aware that insect repellents with at least 20% to 30% DEET are recommended and not all products containing DEET meet that standard, particularly those sold outside of the United States.
There are urgent concerns about Zika virus infection being passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy and a link to birth defects. Pregnant women should not travel to areas where there is Zika virus transmission. Studies also are ongoing to determine if there is a link between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome and other neurological disorders. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika.
“I understand that travel to Zika-affected areas will continue, but what I ask is that individuals protect themselves from mosquito bites,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Most people with Zika virus never know they are infected so it is important for everyone going to countries where there are Zika outbreaks to guard against mosquito bites while they travel and after they return.”
Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Both species are found in Georgia. Individuals should continue to use EPA-registered insect repellents for three weeks after returning home from travel to Zika affected countries. Even if they do not feel sick, travelers returning to Georgia from an area with Zika should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks so they do not spread Zika to local, uninfected mosquitoes.
To learn more about Zika protection and prevention, visit dph.ga.gov/zika or cdc.gov/zika. For a list of EPA-registered insect repellents, go to epa.gov/insect-repellents.
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About the Georgia Department of Public Health
The Georgia Department of Public Health is the lead agency in preventing disease, injury and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing for and responding to disasters from a health perspective. In 2011, the General Assembly restored DPH to its own state agency after more than 30 years of consolidation with other departments. At the state level, DPH functions through numerous divisions, sections, programs and offices. Locally, DPH funds and collaborates with Georgia's 159 county health departments and 18 public health districts. Through the changes, the mission has remained constant – to protect the lives of all Georgians. Today, DPH’s main functions include: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Maternal and Child Health, Infectious Disease and Immunization, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emergency Medical Services, Pharmacy, Nursing, Volunteer Health Care, the Office of Health Equity, Vital Records, and the State Public Health Laboratory. For more information about DPH, visit www.dph.ga.gov.
Nancy Nydam
Acting Director of Communications
Georgia Department of Public Health
2 Peachtree St. N.W. 15th Floor
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3142
404-657-2462
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Two Unvaccinated Dogs Euthanized
Ellijay (GA) – Gilmer County Environmental Health officials have reported that three local dogs were recently exposed to rabies when they came into contact with infected raccoons in two separate incidents.
The first dog that was exposed was previously vaccinated for rabies, so it only required a booster shot and to be home-quarantined for 12 weeks. However, since there was no proof that the other two dogs had been vaccinated, the owner of those dogs chose to have them euthanized.
There was no human exposure in either incident.
According to Andrea Martin, manager of Gilmer County Environmental Health, the first exposure occurred in the afternoon of March 11 in the Big Creek Road/Scrougetown Road vicinity, when a Labrador retriever attacked and killed a raccoon. The owner of the dog took both the dog and the body of the raccoon to a local veterinarian, who gave the dog a rabies booster shot and reported the incident to Martin.
“The raccoon was shipped for rabies testing to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory on March 14th and the positive results were reported on March 16th,” said Martin. “I notified the owner of the results and it was agreed the dog should receive the booster shot and be quarantined under general home observation for 12 weeks. I will be checking on the dog and its health during this period; plus, I explained to the owner our home observation protocol and the signs and symptoms of rabies, which generally begin with behavior that is simply unusual for that particular animal.”*
The second incident took place in the afternoon of March 13 in the Blackberry Mountain Road area of east Gilmer County.
A raccoon ran into a residential yard where two mix-breed Labrador retrievers fought and killed the animal. The dogs’ owner contacted Gilmer County Environmental Health on March 14, and the raccoon was shipped to the state public health lab later that day. The positive results for rabies were reported on March 16, and the two dogs were euthanized that afternoon.
“It’s heartbreaking when an owner has to make that tough decision,” said Martin. “That is why we constantly urge residents to keep rabies vaccinations current in their pets.”
Additionally, health officials advise residents to be wary of unfamiliar animals, wild or tame, that exhibit unusual behavior and report them to animal control or the county environmental health office.
The public is also urged to report to them any attacks or bites by a stray or wild animal.
If bitten, individuals are advised to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water, and seek immediate medical attention. If a pet is bitten, the owner should seek veterinary assistance for the animal right away. The health care provider and/or the veterinarian will need to know the following to assess the risk of rabies exposure:
- The geographic location of the incident
- The type of animal that was involved
- How the exposure occurred (provoked or unprovoked)
- The vaccination status of the animal (if known)
- Whether the animal can be safely captured and tested for rabies
For more information about rabies and its prevention, contact the local county environmental health office. In Gilmer County, the phone number is (706) 635-6050. Information is also available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at *www.cdc.gov/rabies.
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