BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County issued a rabies alert on Thursday after a raccoon tested positive for the disease.
In a release, health officials said the alert was issued for the 32927 area of Cocoa and will remain in effect for 60 days.
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The release shows that the center of the rabies alert is at Everglades Street and includes the following boundaries in Brevard County:
- Kings Highway to the north
- U.S. 1 to the east
- Grissom Parkway to the west
- Fay Boulevard to the south
An animal with rabies could infect pets and other domestic animals that haven’t been vaccinated against the virus, health officials explained.
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As such, the department is urging residents to avoid contact with all wildlife, especially raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.
Residents and visitors are also urged to take the following precautions:
- Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.
- Do not allow your pets to run free. Instead, secure them on your property.
- Spay or neuter pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated.
- Do not handle, feed or attract wild animals with outdoor food sources, such as uncovered trash or litter.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
- Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, regardless of whether they’re wild or domestic.
- Prevent bats from entering homes, churches, schools and other similar areas where they can come into contact with people and pets.
- People and pets bitten or scratched by other animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to Animal Services at 321-633-2024.
If exposed, residents are asked to seek treatments soon afterward to protect themselves from the disease.
For more information, visit the department’s website here.
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