21 people treated for possible rabies exposure after public event in Macon

A total of 21 people have undergone rabies treatment as a result of contact with a raccoon at a public event in Macon.

The juvenile raccoon showed no signs of illness at the event held on Aug. 3 in Macon, but later died and was determined to have rabies.

Although no one has been found to have been scratched or bitten by the animal, there is still a risk of contracting rabies, said Michael Hokanson, spokesman for the North Central Health District.

As of Monday, he said 33 people had been recommended for treatment and 21 are known to have started treatment. The treatment requires a series of four shots over 14 days and is done by medical providers, not the health department.

Hokanson said typically when the department recommends rabies treatment, it involves only one or two people who had contact with a potentially rabid animal. He said this case involves the largest number of rabies treatments he can remember from a single incident

The event, called “Raccoon or Kitten,” was held at The Village Gallery and Studio on Ingleside Avenue and allowed participants to interact with the raccoon.

Under certain circumstances, he said the department has the authority to force people to take rabies treatments, especially when children are involved, but in this case all of the treatments have been voluntary.

Rabies is nearly always fatal to humans once symptoms start.

This story was originally published August 26, 2019 at 12:09 PM.