WHEN IT COMES TO THE DREAD DISEASE, RABIES… THERE IS GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FROM NORTHWEST GEORGIA PUBLIC HEALTH.  
   

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IN OUR AREA… WALKER, DADE, CATOOSA AND CHATTOOGA COUNTIES… WE HAD THE LOWEST REPORT OF ANIMAL CASES IN YEARS DURING 2010.   EXPERTS SAY IT’S BECAUSE OF AN ORAL RABIES VACCINATION PROGRAM  CARRIED OUT HERE.   VACCINATION "BAITS" WERE DISTRIBUTED BY AIR AND GROUND CREWS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS… IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF RABIES IN THE WILD ANIMAL POPULATION.  WALKER COUNTY HAD NO REPORTS OF RABIES CASES LAST YEAR.  CATOOSA HAD ONE CASE AND CHATTOOGA COUNTY HAD TWO.
   

THE BAD NEWS IS, THAT IN COUNTIES TO OUR SOUTH… RABIES CASES HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY:   EIGHT CASES EACH IN PAULDING AND POLK COUNTIES AND FIVE IN FLOYD COUNTY DURING 2010.
   

THE PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT SPONSORED A RABIES SUMMIT IN CARTERSVILLE, TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM YESTERDAY.