ATLANTA — Georgia is creating new training for rabies testing as a result of what Georgia Public Health Director calls a “near catastrophic incident.”
Multiple people including a UPS driver and Georgia Department of Health staff were possibly exposed to rabies in 2024. Officials say this was the result of the head of a rabid animal was leaking due to poor packaging as it was being sent to the lab for testing.
According to Kathleen Toomey, “we revised our rabies manual to ensure that everybody is up to speed on how you put that potentially rabid head into a box and ship it.”
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, “rabies is a viral disease of mammals, usually occurring among wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. The rabies virus travels from the site of the bite up through the nerves until it reaches the brain, causing encephalopathy and ultimately death.”
Officials say 284 environmental health specialists underwent training.
The state is also creating an online video with tips on rabies training.