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Three Kids at a Mobile U.S. Petting Zoo Test Positive for Rabies as Authorities Seek Visitors
🇷🇴 Romania /Health & Science

Three Kids at a Mobile U.S. Petting Zoo Test Positive for Rabies as Authorities Seek Visitors

From Adevărul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • North Carolina health officials confirmed rabies in three goats from the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo and presumed a fourth goat was infected.
  • The goats had appeared at public events in six counties since July 28, and authorities are asking potentially exposed visitors to contact local health departments about preventive medication.
  • The four goats were euthanized, the zoo was quarantined, and no human infections had been reported; the investigation continues.

Health officials in North Carolina are searching for people who may have come into contact with goats infected with rabies at a mobile children’s zoo that visited at least six counties.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said tests completed Friday confirmed the virus in three goats. A fourth goat was not tested, but officials presumed it had also been infected. All four animals were euthanized, and Farm Adventures was placed under quarantine.

People who may have been exposed should contact their local health department to determine whether medication to prevent infection is needed.

— North Carolina health authoritiesThe health department advises visitors who may have encountered the infected goats to seek guidance.

The goats may have been exposed when a skunk entered their enclosed pen through a hole in late July, the department said. The animals were later present at events in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Watauga, Burke, Davie and Durham counties. Public-health officials are working with event organizers to notify people who may have touched the infected goats.

It is devastating. They were kept in an enclosed pen to prevent any contact with wild animals.

— Misty LoveThe Farm Adventures owner describes the suspected skunk exposure and the loss of the goats.

Authorities advised potentially exposed visitors to contact their local health department to determine whether preventive medication is needed. They said no one had so far reported becoming infected by the goats. The investigation continues, and officials said they will release information about additional possible exposure locations when available.

Farm Adventures owner Misty Love said the goats began showing signs of illness several weeks after the suspected exposure. “It is devastating. They were kept in an enclosed pen to prevent any contact with wild animals,” she said. Love added that the mobile zoo’s other animals were not infected and had received rabies booster shots. “For any parent who has questions, I strongly recommend going to get vaccinated,” she said. Rabies cases in people are very rare in the United States, while more than 90% of cases occur in wild animals, especially skunks, bats, raccoons and foxes.

For any parent who has questions, I strongly recommend going to get vaccinated.

— Misty LoveLove urges concerned parents to seek vaccination after the rabies incident.
About this summary

Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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