Health Officials Release Rabies Alert In Areas Near Epcot, Florida

Health officials in Florida have released a 60-day rabies alert near Epcot Center Drive and around the Interstate 4 intersection at southwest Orange County. It is issued by the Florida Department of Health for a two-mile radius.

The alert has been released after a cat was tested positive for the illness, according to the officials. They said the infected cat might have spread the infection to other animals in the region.

Rabies is a viral disease that is caused to a close contact with infected animals. It is mainly transmitted through biting or scratching of a rabid animal. The infection can affect the central nervous system and cause inflammation in the brains of infected mammals.

Human rabies cases are not very common in the United States as only one in three cases are reported annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency reported that less than 25 human rabies cases are reported in the country between the years 2008-2017.

The health officials in Florida said wild animals around the southwest Orange County are affected by the infection. So the public must maintain a heightened awareness about rabies and get all the domestic animals vaccinated as they are at high risk.

The officials also urged the residents and visitors of southwest Orange County to seek medical advice if they get scratched or bitten by a cat in the alert area. They should also contact Orange County Animal Services at (407) 254-9150.

The public in the alert area are even asked by the officials to avoid any kind of contact with stray dogs, feral cats and all types of wild animals, including bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, otters, coyotes and bobcats.