Public health officials are warning of a rise in wildlife encounters requiring rabies treatment in Chatham-Kent.
Chatham-Kent Public Health has issued a reminder to residents to avoid direct contact with wildlife following an increase in preventable encounters with bats and raccoons in the community.
The health unit said these incidents have resulted in a growing number of people requiring Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, a series of treatments administered after a potential rabies exposure. Bats and raccoons are among the species most commonly associated with rabies exposure in Ontario.
Further details about the number, location, and time period of the encounters have not been released.
“Many of the recent wildlife encounters we’ve investigated were avoidable,” said Joshua Standel, the Healthy Environments Program Manager with CK Public Health. “Even animals that appear healthy, friendly, injured, or orphaned can carry rabies. We encourage residents to admire wildlife from a distance and never attempt to touch, feed, or handle wild animals.”
Everyone is encouraged to avoid touching or feeding wild animals, keep a safe distance from wildlife, and call animal control if an animal appears sick, injured, or abandoned. Residents who have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal should immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and quickly seek medical attention. Potential exposures should also be reported to CK Public Health for assessment and follow-up.
For more information about rabies prevention and what to do following a potential exposure, click here.