Yesterday we wrote about how a rescue person in Lake Park had found a kitten infected with rabies. The person had to be treated for rabies, while the kitten eventually died.
And now, to make sure rabies doesn't spread throughout the county, Animal Care and Control is looking to trap a colony of feral cats and then put them down.
See also: Rabid Kitten Found in Palm Beach County
The Palm Beach County Health Department says that the kitten had scratched or bitten several of the people who had cared for it. And now those people are being prepped to be treated with the five-shot regimen of the vaccine that is required for anyone exposed to rabies.
The health department is also searching for anyone else who might have been exposed to the kitten.
If exposed, individuals must begin a series of rabies shots within ten days of exposure.
The rabid kitten was found near Lake Park by an employee of Maschmeyer Concrete Co. The business is located at 9190 Old Dixie Highway.
Authorities say that a bunch of feral cats there were being fed. They do not know how many cats are in the colony.
Residents in Palm Beach County are being asked by Animal Care and Control to be aware that rabies has been exposed to the area and to be vigilant of wild animals in the area. Residents are also being asked to keep their eye on their pets and not let them out of their homes alone.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that can be prevented but not cured. The virus attacks the nerves and brain tissue of warm-blooded animals, including people.
With this newly found case, the Palm Beach Post is reporting that this likely makes Palm Beach County number one in rabies incidents in the state.
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