Official: Take animal bites seriously

By BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

It?s that time of year that hospitals begin to see an uptick in animal bite cases, which is why the Henry County Board of Health is cautioning people to be careful around unfamiliar pets or other animals.

During the recent Henry County Board of Health meeting, Travis Johnson, Henry County Community Health director, reported that the county has had several confirmed cases of animal bites, particularly in the last few days.

?We have had several cases of cat bites reported in the county, among other types of reported animal bites,? said Johnson. ?So far, no rabies cases have been confirmed in the county this year, which is encouraging.?

While most animal bites are not typically life-threatening, Johnson warns that, if left untreated, animal bites can become infected and cause individuals to experience a wide variety of dangerous symptoms.

This being the case, Johnson encourages individuals to seek medical help right away if they have been, or suspect they have been, bitten by an animal.

?We are just cautioning people, especially parents, to be vigilant. As the weather is nice, more people spend time outside and are therefore more likely to come into contact with animals,? said Johnson. ?So please, watch your children and take the proper safety measures.?

In addition to several confirmed cases of animal bites in the county, the board also announced there has been a confirmed case of an elevated lead level in a Henry County child this month.

?So far, this particular case is being investigated and things are going smoothly,? said Johnson. ?All parties involved are working well together.?

The Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HHLPP) provides lead poisoning testing to Henry County children and home investigation services for children who test positive for higher levels of lead in their system. High lead levels can harm children?s nervous systems and is associated with reduced IQ, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.

Johnson says that the county tests about 15 to 18 kids per month as part of this program, and says the number of children who do test positive for higher lead levels is relatively small.

Besides talk of animal bites and lead testing, the board also approved the application for the Emergency Preparedness Coalition Grant for fiscal year 2016. The grant?s total award for this upcoming year is about $41,000.

Other board news discussed includes the following:

A six-year placeholder for a public health emergency preparedness contract was approved, as well as the 2016-2017 fiscal year public health agency contract.

Johnson reviewed the board?s financial statements and reported that all looked to be in order.

The time and date for the next Henry County Board of Health board meeting has yet to be determined.