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PORT ST. LUCIE – Local health officials are advising people to avoid contact with bats.
According to a new release from the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County, the advisory followed a “bat-related situation” at The Landings in Tradition on Friday.
Officials are providing treatment for suspected rabies to those exposed and are working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Port St. Lucie News: The church brings a truckload of supplies to Fort Myers to help families.
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No further information was available Sunday.
If you have an emergency contact, bite or scratch from a bat, call 772-462-3883 between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday or 772-462-3800 after hours.
Appropriate treatment with post-exposure vaccinations started soon after exposure protects people from rabies, the release said. The only preventive treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.
There is rabies in wild animals, and people should avoid contact with wild animals.
Local authorities have issued the following precautions.
- Do not handle, feed, or unknowingly attract wild animals in open garbage cans or garbage.
- Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.
- Never pet wild animals or bring them into your home.
- Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
- Keep your pets under direct supervision to prevent contact with wild animals.
- Prevent bats from entering residential or occupied areas in homes, schools, and other similar areas where bats may come into contact with people and pets.
Laurie K. Blandford It belongs to TCPalm. Entertainment Reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter. @TCPalmLaurie And Facebook @TCPalmLaurie. Email her laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Subscribe to the 772 weekly newsletter on what to do profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/administration.
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