State health officials say people who visited the cattle barn at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 11-14 may need to be assessed for a possible rabies exposure.
“A cow in the cattle barn developed rabies and was capable of spreading the virus that causes it during those dates,” the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said in a news release. “The solid black cow, a Brangus heifer, was being shown by a student from the Miller Grove ISD in Hopkins County.”
The release includes detailed maps of the fairgrounds and the cattle barn.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, “If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a potential rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain, ultimately resulting in death.”
Physicians should report any suspected rabies cases immediately by calling DSHS at (800) 705-8868 or their county-specific reporting entity. The DSHS rabies webpage includes information on testing and specimen collection as well as post-exposure vaccines and rabies immune globulin.
DSHS recommends Bexar County residents who visited the cattle barn contact the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District at (210) 207-8876 with questions. People who live elsewhere may contact their DSHS regional Zoonosis Control office.
Last Updated On
March 03, 2020
Originally Published On
March 03, 2020