Polar bear. Photo by Ansgar Walk. Wikimedia Commons.
Canada:
Quebec 10/22/13 cbc.ca/news: Health officials are reporting an outbreak of trichinosis in Inukjuak. Since early October, about 15 people have exhibited symptoms of the illness caused by a parasite sometimes found in the raw meat of animals Including walrus and polar bear. No official source of the outbreak has been identified but the health department is investigating. In the meantime they are advising people to fully cook their meat to kill the parasite before consuming it. - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/trichinosis-outbreak-in-inukjuak-que-1.2187320
Canada:
British Columbia 10/22/13 District of Squamish: Officials have confirmed that a bobcat attacked two off-leash dogs in separate incidents on October 22nd along a trail near Garibaldi Highlands. Both attacks occurred in the morning at the south end of Jack’s Trail. – See http://www.squamishchief.com/article/20131022/SQUAMISH0101/131029996/-1/squamish/update-caution-urged-after-bobcat-attacks-dogs
Follow-Up Report:
(See Three COYOTES attack COLORADAN walking to work – posted October 17, 2013)
Colorado 10/23/13 thedenverchannel.com/news: by Deb Stanley – Three coyotes that attacked a man in Niwot last week have tested negative for rabies. Andrew Dickehage said he was walking before sunrise when he heard what he thought was a bunny rustling in a bush, but when he turned his flashlight on a nearby bush, he was attacked. “I shined the flashlight and before I could finish turning and pointing it at the brush, that’s when the initial impact happened,” Dickehage said. “At that point, I felt severe agony throughout my hand and I looked down and it [the coyote] wouldn’t let go.” Dickehage said as he was fighting off the first coyote with his flashlight, the other two attacked. He managed to stay on his feet until the attack stop and the coyotes ran off. – For complete article see http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/wildlife-officials-coyotes-that-attacked-niwot-man-did-not-have-rabies
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):
Arkansas 10/22/13 Little River County: Hospital officials have confirmed that an Ashdown teenager being treated for what is believed to be a rare human case of EEE died on October 22nd. – See article and video at http://www.ksla.com/story/23753290/ar-teen-with-suspected-eastern-equine-encaphalitis-dies
California 10/21/13 Los Angeles County: Officials have confirmed the county’s 7thWNV-related human fatality. Three fatalities have been confirmed in the past week. All were men – two from South Los Angeles and one from the San Fernando Valley – and all had pre-existing health conditions. – See http://manhattanbeach.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/7-dead-due-to-west-nile-virus-county-confirms_8e79c5d4
Indiana 10/21/13 Vigo County: A human WNV-related fatality in the state reported earlier neglected to mention that it occurred in Vigo County. – See http://wibqfm.com/news/articles/2013/oct/21/indianas-first-west-nile-death-from-vigo-county/
Kentucky 10/21/13 Carlisle County: A horse stabled in the county is the second to test positive for EEE in the state this year. – See http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32742/kentucky-reports-second-equine-eee-case-of-2013
Louisiana 10/18/13 LA Dept of Health: Officials have confirmed the state’s third WNV-related death this year. The report is from Rapides Parish, and is the second death this year from Rapides Parish. In addition, the health department is also confirming three new WNV human cases this week, bringing this year’s total number of cases to 51. This week’s new infections include two cases of neuro-invasive disease in Lafayette Parish and one case of neuro-invasive in Ouachita Parish. – See http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2899
Mississippi 10/21/13 MS Dept of Health: Officials have confirmed three new human cases of WNV for 2013. The cases were reported in Forrest, Lamar, and Rankin counties, bringing the state total for 2013 to 43 human cases, including two deaths. – For locations of all other cases and other information see http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/23,14422,341.html
New York 10/21/13 Oswego County: Officials have confirmed a human case of WNV in one of the county’s senior residents. – See http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=961428#.UmcKKBAljM1
Rabies:
Georgia 10/17/13 Henry County: A raccoon killed by a dog on Chafin Drive in the Kelleytown area of McDonough has tested positive for rabies. – See http://neighbornewspapers.com/view/full_story/23872771/article-Rabies-warning-issued-for-McDonough?instance=all
Iowa 10/19/13 Washington County: Police in the town of Washington are searching for a dog they say bit a person late last week. Officers received a report of the incident just before 9 p.m. Friday and they’re searching for a brown dog that resembles a pit bull. Authorities need to find the dog to ensure its rabies vaccination is current otherwise the person bitten will have to undergo a series of rabies shots. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 319-653-2107. – See http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/49d604c98fd64594b1628d8bbfdbb719/IA–Search-for-Dog
New Jersey 10/21/13 Atlantic County: A raccoon found in the 100 block of South New Road in Absecon last week has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.nbc40.net/story/23751069/sixth-case-of-rabies-confirmed-in-atlantic-county
New Jersey 10/18/13 Mercer County: A skunk found on Temple Terrace in Lawrence Township has tested positive for rabies. The skunk was in contact with neighborhood pets. – See http://lawrenceville.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/skunk-in-lawrence-township-tests-positive-for-rabies
North Carolina 10/17/13 Orange County: A skunk found in a Hillsborough resident’s outdoor dog kennel, has tested positive for rabies. Her dogs have been vaccinated. – See http://www.wral.com/skunk-is-11th-case-of-rabies-in-orange-county/13012716/
Pennsylvania 10/22/13 Delaware County: Two raccoons found in Radnor Township have tested positive for rabies in the past two weeks. One was in the 700 block of Bryn Mawr Avenue, and a second less than a mile away in the 600 block of S. Hunt Road. – See http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2013/10/22/main_line_suburban_life/news/doc5266ae9416bea044225119.txt
South Carolina 10/22/13 Fairfield County: A dog that was in contact with two people in the Winnsboro area has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.wltx.com/news/article/253791/2/Dog-Exposes-Two-People-to-Rabies
South Carolina 10/18/13 Oconee County: A skunk that came in contact with a woman in the Westminster area has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/23729842/oconee-co-woman-expsed-to-rabies-from-skunk
Virginia 10/18/13 Peninsula Health District: A raccoon killed by a dog in the Colony and Putney roads area of Newport News has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.wavy.com/news/local/newport-news/rabid-raccoon-killed-by-dog-in-nn