United States: People are encouraged to be careful, especially when carrying out their activities; this is because some regions in the United States have confirmed cases of rabid animals.
More on the news
In Missouri, a rabid raccoon bit two dogs, and rabid bats were discovered in two homes this month.
Last month, a rabid stray cat bit a person in Staten Island, New York, and a rabid coyote attacked two people in a Massachusetts park.
This year, a rabid raccoon attacked visitors at a Pennsylvania theme park in March, and a hiker in Rhode Island had to fend off a rabid coyote in February.
Evidence suggests an increase in rabid animals in some US areas, with health officials particularly focusing on bats, according to DailyMail.
Despite the rise in rabid animal reports, officials note that human rabies cases have not increased.
What else have officials stated?
Health officials in South Carolina warned about rabies: One needs to understand that any human being, including children, can be bitten by a bat and be ignorant of it because bats have small teeth.
The health officials in South Carolina, while giving warnings over rabies, said, “It is critical to know that people, especially children, can be bitten by a bat and not know it. That is because bats have tiny teeth.”
Less than ten people are affected by the disease annually, according to various statistical data available; most of the cases are averted through an administration of shots people are given after one is exposed to the suspected rabid animals, which helps in preventing the virus from establishing in the individual concerned.
Those patients being suspected of infection, should be given the first dose within the first 24 hours, and the subsequent three doses on the third, seventh and fourteenth days after the first jab, as per health experts.
Basic information about the disease shows that rabies is more than 99 percent fatal.
Kansas-based infectious diseases specialist Dr Thomas Moore told DailyMail News that in the recent decade, he has received more people coming to him fearing rabies without an actual increase in the occurrences.
He added, “It is very rare for anyone to get diagnosed with rabies,” and” when it happens, it is sensational — people will hear about it.”
“Normally, what happens is if there is an unprovoked animal attack, then people get worried about it, and they may get the rabies vaccine,” he continued.