 Friday, September 8, 2023
Be sure to keep your distance from bats
Bats play an essential role in our ecosystem by eating insects and pollinating plants. However, every year bats test positive for rabies, a viral disease that is almost always fatal if left untreated.
Rabies can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals including bats, skunks, racoons and foxes. Bats are the leading cause of rabies in the U.S. In Kentucky, bats, bovine, skunks and dogs were the common hosts of rabies last year.
In the past three years, rabid bats have been found in Jefferson County:
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2019: 4
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2020: 2
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2021: 6
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2022: 3
The virus can be prevented by vaccinating pets, avoiding wildlife, and seeking medical care immediately for potential exposure. If you encounter a bat in your home:
- If possible, close the door to isolate the bat in the room.
- Contact your doctor and LMPHW at 502-574-6640 right away. The health department will arrange for the bat to be collected and tested for rabies.
- If you know you have been bitten or scratched by a bat:
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
- If the bat tests negative for rabies, you will not need post-exposure treatment.
- If you do not know how the bat got into your home, you will also need to contact a bat remediation specialist to determine if bats are living in your home.
If your pet encounters a bat:
- Contact LMPHW at 502-574-6640 or email publicfacilities@louisvilleky.gov. Your pet may need to be quarantined to ensure rabies is not transmitted. Please advise the health department if you choose to have your pet quarantined at another location besides your home.
- If your pet bites or scratches someone during a rabies exposure quarantine, you must report the incident to LMPHW.
If you have general questions regarding bats or rabies, contact the LMPHW Rabies Prevention Program at 502-574-6640. For more information about rabies and prevention tips, visit our rabies control page.
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Protect yourself and your family from COVID-19
 Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the state, just as the flu season is almost upon us. A few outbreaks have been reported in congregate settings. There have also been school systems in other Kentucky counties that have already had to close due to illness.
Here are some proactive steps you can take to prevent spreading the virus:
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Get vaccinated. To find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you, please search vaccines.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 and text your ZIP code to 438829.
- Continue practicing hand hygiene.
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Stay home if you are sick.
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Wear a high-quality mask, improve ventilation and keep your distance – when possible – from a person who is sick or has tested positive for COVID-19.
Need a test?
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Get tested by your healthcare provider.
- Check your local pharmacies for tests. Some also provide treatment in addition to testing. Find a test to treat location.
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Call the LOU Health COVID-19 Helpline at 502-574-8207. Someone is available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Have you tested positive?
If the answer is yes, please be sure to follow these steps to protect others:
- Stay home if you test positive, duration for isolation, which could be five days or 10, depending on symptoms.
- Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public to decrease spread to your community and family.
- Do not travel.
- Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
- Use a separate bathroom and sleeping area, if possible.
- Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
- Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
- Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
A complete list of COVID-19 testing sites, information on symptoms and can be found at our COVID-19 Resource Center.
Go out and celebrate Food Safety Month
September is Food Safety Month. You can celebrate by choosing a restaurant that keeps food safety on the menu. Here are some tips to protect yourself from food poisoning while eating out.
If you think you got sick from food, our Food Safety Team conducts investigations of reported illness connected with a permitted food service establishment in Louisville. It is important that you make every effort to provide a 48-hour food history along with a history of recent activities. Please file an online foodborne illness report.
You can also call to report a potential foodborne illness at 502-574-6650, press 2 for Food Safety and press 1 for Foodborne Illness or Food Poisoning. Please advise that you are calling to report an illness associated with a food service establishment that you visited.
Be sure to learn more food safety facts on our website.
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