Four baby goats from a mobile petting zoo have tested positive for rabies after traveling to events across Mecklenburg County. Health officials are urging Ballantyne-area families who had contact with the animals to call immediately for a risk assessment.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirmed the rabies cases at Farm Adventures, a petting zoo based in Harmony in Iredell County, WCNC reported Saturday, Aug. 29. The exposure window spans from Tuesday, July 28, through Thursday, Aug. 27.
Mecklenburg County Public Health said residents who had any contact with the baby goats should call (980)-314-9400 for a rabies risk assessment. Health officials said residents should call before going to an emergency department or urgent care so they can be directed to the right location.
What happened
State laboratory testing confirmed the rabies virus in three of the four goats on Friday, Aug. 28. A fourth goat is presumed infected, according to state health officials. The goats were exposed after a wild skunk entered their pen in late July. Farm Adventures said the young goats had been kept in a separate enclosure because they were too young for vaccinations, CNN reported.
All four goats have been euthanized. Farm Adventures owner Misty Love told CNN on Saturday, Aug. 29, that she would be available to answer customers' questions. "I care about my community, and I care about my customers," Love said.
Mecklenburg County exposure
State health officials identified 10 known exposure locations between July 28 and Sunday, Aug. 23. One was a private event in Mecklenburg County on Thursday, July 30. CNN reported that additional private events in Mecklenburg County are also among the potential exposure sites. The investigation is ongoing, and additional locations may still be identified as contact tracing continues, according to WSOC-TV.
Other listed sites include Jurney's Assisted Living in Statesville, the Community Connections Back-to-School Bash at Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington, Brookdale Peachtree in Statesville, the Masonic Picnic Grounds in Mocksville, and private events in Watauga, Burke, Durham and Iredell counties.
Why officials say speed matters
"Residents should not wait for symptoms before calling," Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Kimberly Scott said in a statement Saturday, Aug. 29. She added that parents and caregivers should call on behalf of children who may have interacted with the goats.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, but postexposure prophylaxis is highly effective if received before symptoms begin. The incubation period can range from weeks to months. Early symptoms may include weakness, fever, headache and tingling at the site of exposure, according to health officials.
Because baby goats are frequently bottle-fed, handled closely or cuddled, NCDHHS said officials are working to ensure anyone who had direct contact is evaluated. Scott said healthcare systems appear to have enough postexposure prophylaxis available.
Separate rabies case near Ballantyne
Mecklenburg County health officials also reported Saturday, Aug. 29, that a bat tested positive for rabies near Ballantyne Lake Road in Charlotte, according to WBTV. That case is separate from the Farm Adventures exposure.
The Charlotte Observer reported that rabies has turned up in multiple locations across Mecklenburg County this year, including Ballantyne and Huntersville, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control data. A drive-thru rabies vaccine clinic for pets is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, in Charlotte.
North Carolina has not reported a human rabies case since 2011. Residents with questions can reach Mecklenburg County Public Health at (980)-314-9400.
