PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM RABIES

In light of a rabies case found in Quebec near the Ontario-Quebec-New York border, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is reminding residents of the five Eastern Counties to take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from rabies.

The raccoon-rabies strain was diagnosed last week in a raccoon picked up by authorities on the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne on Friday, May 29th. As a result, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Quebec’s Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs and the United States Department of Agriculture are collaborating with the Akwesasne First Nation to distribute rabies vaccine baits on its Territory. This effort will complement the rabies vaccine baits that are currently being distributed in New York State.

To date, there are no reports of rabies in a human. Rabies can be passed on to humans through contact with rabid mammals and bats. This usually happens after getting bitten by a rabid animal or if their eyes, mouth or an open wound come into contact with a rabid animal’s saliva.

Here are some steps you can take to protect your family and pets from rabies:

· Make sure your children and pets avoid all contact with bats and wild animals when outdoors

· Keep your pet’s rabies vaccine up-to-date (including indoor pets as bats can enter into any residence)

* Have your pets spayed or neutered

* Report any sick or strange acting wildlife to Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 1-888-574-6656

And don’t forget! If you come across an injured wild animal when outdoors, do not touch it or bring it into your home to try to nurse it back to health. While it may be tempting to do so, it’s safer to call animal control and let them handle the situation from there.

If despite your best efforts, you or a family member are bitten or come into direct contact with a potentially rabid animal or bat, contact the health unit right away as it will look into the incident and determine if rabies post-exposure treatment is necessary.

For more information on rabies and rabies vaccination, visit the EOHU’s website at http://www.eohu.ca. You can also call 613-933-1375 or 1 800 267-7120 and ask for Health Line.