Georgia Coastal Health District

[PNG, 29.47 KB]

A bat in the Forsyth Park area of downtown Savannah has tested positive for rabies. The Chatham County Health Department’s Environmental Health office reminds all residents and visitors to avoid contact with wild animals and ensure pets are properly vaccinated against rabies.

The bat was caught by a domestic cat inside a home near Forsyth Park and was brought to a local veterinarian. The veterinarian notified the Health Department, who then tested the bat for rabies. Fortunately, the domestic cat is current on its rabies vaccination. The resident had recently received post-exposure rabies treatment and is not considered at risk. The resident is working with a wildlife removal company to ensure any other bats are removed from the property.

This incident is a reminder that several species of wild animals in our area can carry rabies, including raccoons, foxes, and bats. Rabies is a potentially deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. Following these tips can protect you and your family from rabies:

• Avoid contact with animals you don’t know.
• Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines after 12 weeks of age, followed by a booster shot within one year and vaccination every 1-3 years depending on veterinary recommendation and vaccine used.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or by leaving pet food out at night.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or a properly licensed animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn.

Symptoms of rabies in animals include a change in behavior, biting, aggression, showing no fear of natural enemies (such as humans), foaming at the mouth, and paralysis. If an animal ever bites you, seek medical care immediately and contact Chatham County Animal Services at 912-652-6575 and the Chatham County Environmental Health office at 912-356-2160.

The Chatham County Health Department will offer FREE mammograms to eligible women on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at the Midtown clinic at 1602 Drayton Street.

[JPG, 69.35 KB]

The St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Mobile Mammography Unit will be in the Health Department’s parking lot from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Free mammography screening will be available by appointment for women between the ages of 40 and 64 who meet income guidelines and have no health insurance coverage.

The service is by appointment only, so women are urged to schedule the free mammogram by calling the Chatham County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) at 912-356-2946.
BCCP provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening for women who may not otherwise receive such services. The BCCP program partners with the St. Joseph’s/Candler mobile mammography program to offer free mammograms several times a year.

The remaining dates for 2023 are:

• May 23
• August 14
• October 24

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in woman after skin cancer. It is estimated that about one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early. The earlier breast cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat.

For more information on the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, go to coastalhealthdistrict.org/bccp.

The Chatham County Health Department reminds residents and restaurant owners on Tybee, Wilmington, and Talahi Islands to discard any refrigerated, perishable food if they experienced a power outage of more than 4 hours.

A downed tree caused a power outage late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning for thousands of customers on the islands in Chatham County. During a power outage, perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products can spoil quickly, even if they are kept in a refrigerator. The risk of foodborne illness increases significantly when these foods are not stored at the proper temperature.

If the refrigerator doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to:

• 4 hours in a refrigerator.
• 48 hours in a full freezer; 24 hours in a half-full freezer.

Throw out perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, and leftovers) after 4 hours without power. Throw out any food with an unusual odor, color, or texture.

Never taste food to determine if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out.

Car seats are life savers when used correctly, but sometimes parents need a few pointers. Be sure you’re using the right car seat in the right way at the Chatham County Health Department’s free car seat check event Friday, February 24, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the clinic at 1395 Eisenhower Drive.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, more than half of car seats are not installed or used correctly. At this event, parents can find out if they’re using the correct car seat for their child’s age and size, if the seat is installed properly, and if the harness fits well. When used correctly, child safety seats can reduce the risk of death from road injuries by as much as 71 percent.

“Kids spend a lot of time riding in cars, and child safety seats have made car travel so much safer,” said Chatham County Health Department Nurse Manager, Dr. Sierra Peebles. “But as our kids grow and change, they need different types of seats installed in different ways. It’s not easy to keep up, but that’s how we can help.”

The car seat safety checks are the culmination of a training event being sponsored by the health department for Child Passenger Safety Technicians. Each technician must complete a one-on-one child safety seat inspection as part of their certification.

“We’re hoping for a great turnout at the car seat safety check event so our technicians can cement what they’ve learned in training,” said Dr. Peebles. “The more certified technicians we have the greater impact we can make on child safety, so this is a win for us and for the community.”

For more information about the car seat safety, view the Safe Kids Ultimate Car Seat Guide.