The Department of Health in Miami-Dade County had issued a rabies alert in the Kendall area after a raccoon tested positive for the disease, officials said Wednesday.
Officials say it's the first rabid raccoon in the county since 2001 and the first confirmed rabid animal this year.
"The concern is that there may be other raccoons infected, that people have to take appropriate precautions to not enter in contact with raccoons," said Dr. Alvaro Mejia-Echeverry from the Miami-Dade Health Department.
The rabies alert lasts 60 days and includes these boundaries:
- Southwest 88th Street to the North;
- Southwest 95th Street to the South;
- Southwest 107th Avenue to the East; and
- Southwest 117th Avenue to the West.
Officials say an animal with rabies could infect other wild or domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies.
Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
- Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
- Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Miami-Dade County Animal Services at 3-1-1.
- Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.
- Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
- Avoid contact with stray and feral animals.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
- Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
- Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 305-324-2400.
For more information from the Department of Health, click here.
