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Fifth Rabies Case of 2024 Confirmed in Alamance County

Written by arlindaellison on . Posted in Health.

On October 4th, the North Carolina State Lab of Public Health in Raleigh confirmed Alamance County’s fifth case of rabies for the year.

On October 3rd, the Alamance County Health Department was notified of animal and human exposures to a cat that occurred on October 2nd and October 3rd in the area of West Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road in Snow Camp near the intersection of Pleasant Hill Church Road and Sylvan School Road. The cat was sent to the North Carolina State Lab for rabies testing, and it was found to be positive.

The human exposures identified by the health department began immediate post-exposure treatment. There are many feral cats and kittens in the area, and the Alamance County Sherriff’s Office Animal Control has set traps in order to safely capture them. After the quarantine period has passed, all feral cats will be vaccinated and released.

It is recommended that any outside pets near the area of Pleasant Hill Church Road and Sylvan School Road be checked and monitored for bite wounds. If you live in this area and are concerned about possible exposure, please contact the on-call communicable disease nurse at 336-516-7715.

North Carolina law requires cats and dogs to be vaccinated against rabies. The first vaccination should occur when the dog or cat is no more than four months old; the second vaccination is required no more than a year later and then again, every three years.

If any animal bites you:

  • Wash the wound with soap and running water for ten (10) minutes and seek medical attention immediately.
  • Write down the location of the animal and provide a description of the animal for animal control.  If the animal is someone’s pet, also get the owner’s name and address.  Give this information to animal control or the health department.
  • Do not try to catch any wild or stray animals.

For more information or questions about rabies control and vaccination requirements, contact the Alamance County Health Department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.