Visitors to a Disney World amusement park in Florida have been warned to avoid stray dogs and wildlife after an outbreak of rabies.
A 60-day rabies alert was issued in the area around Orlando's famous Epcot Park, after a wild cat was declared a deadly disease carrier.
In addition to the theme park, the region is home to many resorts, hotels, golf courses and other tourist attractions.
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The authorities have warned the public against "wildcats, stray dogs and all wildlife, especially raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, leopards and coyotes".
According to the NHS, rabies is a rare but very serious infection of the brain and nerves. It is usually caught by the bite or claw of an infected animal, most often a dog.
It's almost always fatal once the symptoms appear, but the prior treatment is very effective. There is also a vaccine for people at risk of becoming infected.
"Animals can spread the infection if they bite or scratch you or, in rare cases, lick an open wound or if their saliva gets into your mouth or into your eyes," reads on the NHS website.
"Rabies is not spread by intact skin or people."
If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal in an area at risk of rabies, here are some tips for: immediately storing the wound under running water and soap for several minutes; disinfect the wound with an alcohol or iodine disinfectant and apply a simple dressing; and go to the medical center or the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
The treatment should ideally be started a few hours after a person is bitten or scraped.
The symptoms of rabies usually appear three to 12 weeks after infection and may include: elevated temperature of 38 ° C or higher, headache, feeling of anxiety or usually discomfort and discomfort at the site of the bite, followed a few days later by confusion or aggression behavior, hallucinations, producing a lot of saliva or foam to the mouth, muscle spasms, difficulty swallowing and breathing and paralysis.
Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal.