The rabies vaccine is to be placed in a bait mixture throughout Harford County to attract wild animals in an effort to immunize them against the illness. The pilot project, known as the Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORV), will place over 15,000 bait containers across the county, the Harford County Health Department announced Monday in a statement. The main animals targeted are raccoons. The vaccine to be used, called Raboral V-RG, is a live virus vaccine.
But health officials say it cannot cause rabies and is not harmful to raccoons, pets, or other animals. The same vaccine has been used successfully in Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 1998, as well as in other states in an effort to control rabies in raccoons, the health department statement said. Vaccine not considered harmful to most humans While the vaccine is considered low risk to human health, it is advised that the bait should not be handled by anyone under 18 years old, or someone pregnant, immunocompromised, or who has a chronic skin condition. Officials said the bait containers are made of fishmeal and polymers and come in two forms.
One is a small brown brick containing a packet of liquid rabies vaccine, while the other is a condiment-style packet coated with a waxy fishmeal attractant. A raccoon must bite into the packet to be vaccinated. Ground teams in marked state vehicles will distribute the bait packets in likely raccoon habitats throughout Harford County parks and neighborhoods. “We are committed to keeping our community healthy, and the launch of this program marks an important step forward in preventing the spread of rabies and keeping Harford County residents and animals safe,” said Harford County Health Officer Lauren Levy.
Rabies is spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal, such as a raccoon, groundhog, cat, fox, skunk or bat. It is also spread when an infected animal’s saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or open cut of a person or another animal.
I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ John 1:33
A coyote with an extremely swollen face, seen roaming a San Fernando Valley neighborhood, is now receiving treatment at a wildlife rescue. When Barbara Perrin’s son recently…
Salt Lake City — Autumn brings a lot of beautiful colors to Utah’s landscape, and driving to see the leaves change color is a popular activity for many…
An invasive species has begun to cover trees in the MetroWest area of Massachusetts. It’s called the spotted lanternfly, and its presence could spell doom for some…
The number of active registered voters during August has decreased compared to July. The Secretary of State’s office released an update reporting a decline of 50,130 active…
When everything around you competes for your attention, remember who deserves the center of your life: Jesus. He is before all things, holds all things together, and…
Ford Motor Company is recalling 148,663 Mustang vehicles due to an issue that could cause the cars to lose power or disrupt other functions, such as the…
Most high-tech police drones are deployed for high-speed chases or search and rescue missions, but officers in Kirkland, Wash., recently launched one indoors for a wilder reason:…
A woman and a young girl fell from a chairlift ride in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, Monday night. According to the Seaside Heights Fire Department, the incident…
Nearly 900 pounds of marijuana headed to Orlando was intercepted in Georgia as part of a larger interstate shipment, according to the Butts County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff…
Home / Business/Industry News / Sports Memorabilia Business News / Nebraska Postal Worker Arrested in $46,000 Sports Card Theft Nebraska Postal Worker Arrested in $46,000 Sports Card…
After losing their first baby to miscarriage, Alex and Sarah Kennedy were thrilled late last year to find out they were pregnant again. “We went in for…
In a world filled with competing voices, confusing paths, and endless distractions, Jesus doesn’t simply show us the way He declares, ‘I am the way.’ When everything…
On Monday, health officials in Northern Colorado confirmed the first case of West Nile Virus found in Weld County this year. The Weld County Department of Public…
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called again on the Department of Justice to end mail-order abortion by settling Louisiana v. FDA in light of a new U.S.…
DPHHS URGES MONTANANS TO TAKE INCREASED CAUTION AGAINST MOSQUITO BITES THIS SUMMER State and local health officials confirmed the first detections of West Nile virus (WNV) in…
An open-water swimmer says a routine morning swim in Lake Tahoe turned into a frightening encounter when an otter attacked her underwater. Lynnette Bellin said she was…
Last month, a hiker on a high-alpine plateau just beneath the summit headwall of the highest peak in Montana made a painful calculation. David Cifaldi had taken…
The federal government’s latest plan to bring more foreign beef into the country while cutting red tape for producers to process their own beef would do nothing…
About 100 gallons of diesel spilled over the side of a bridge after a semi-truck accident in Nevada County, threatening nearby wildlife, state officials said. CDFW Two…
A minor earthquake was logged in southeast Ohio on Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS said that around 4:06 a.m., a 2.2-magnitude quake…
A drought in the western U.S. has devastated wildlands, dried up food sources and sent bears wandering along city sidewalks and into homes and shops in search…
At least three baby goats belonging to a North Carolina petting zoo have tested positive for rabies, prompting state health officials to issue an urgent warning to…
Alligator hunting season is off to a massive start in Mississippi — and this catch is enough to make you think twice before jumping into the Mississippi…
Crews are working to clear a large mudslide that brought boulders and debris down on a road in Eagle County, Colorado. On Saturday afternoon, the Eagle County…
Two people who went canoeing and camping in the Tomales Bay area were found dead after they never returned from their planned trip, officials said. Marin County…
Cleanup crews found no diesel runoff after a tanker carrying about 7,500 gallons of fuel overturned in DeKalb County, fire officials said in an update late Friday…
Traffic on Interstate Highway 80 near the Nevada state line was blocked by an overturned big rig dangling from a bridge on Friday, authorities said. The crash…