The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Animal Bite Incidences in Cobb & Douglas Counties

Presenters and Authors

Sheena D. NorwoodFollow

Abstract

Background: Human animal bite/scratch injuries are a public health concern, due to the associated risk for rabies virus exposure even during a pandemic of Covid-19. There was still a need for assessing the risk of rabies exposure and recommending rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Between 01/01/2020 - 11/23/22, 2,885 animal bite incidences were reported to Cobb & Douglas Public Health, with 25 specimens testing positive for rabies. This analysis will explain how a pandemic can affect the incidence of animal bites when human populations modify their behaviors.

Methods: Examine notifiable zoonotic disease data obtained from the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS). Reports are primarily received from local hospitals and animal control. This data is then entered into SENDSS for follow up. Data from 2016 to 2022 were analyzed using Excel.

Results or anticipated results: After interpretation of data from 2016 to 2022, it was found that animal bite cases decreased during the years (2020-2022) of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Conclusions: A decrease in reported animal bites were observed during the Covid-19 Pandemic due to altering human behavior (Isolation/Quarantine) and responsible dog ownership. The lockdown reduced interactions and possible exposures at dog parks and veterinary clinics.

Key words (up to 7): animal bites, rabies, veterinarians, public health, epidemiology, community health

Keywords

animal bites, rabies, veterinarians, public health, epidemiology, community health

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Animal Bite Incidences in Cobb & Douglas Counties

Background: Human animal bite/scratch injuries are a public health concern, due to the associated risk for rabies virus exposure even during a pandemic of Covid-19. There was still a need for assessing the risk of rabies exposure and recommending rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Between 01/01/2020 - 11/23/22, 2,885 animal bite incidences were reported to Cobb & Douglas Public Health, with 25 specimens testing positive for rabies. This analysis will explain how a pandemic can affect the incidence of animal bites when human populations modify their behaviors.

Methods: Examine notifiable zoonotic disease data obtained from the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS). Reports are primarily received from local hospitals and animal control. This data is then entered into SENDSS for follow up. Data from 2016 to 2022 were analyzed using Excel.

Results or anticipated results: After interpretation of data from 2016 to 2022, it was found that animal bite cases decreased during the years (2020-2022) of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Conclusions: A decrease in reported animal bites were observed during the Covid-19 Pandemic due to altering human behavior (Isolation/Quarantine) and responsible dog ownership. The lockdown reduced interactions and possible exposures at dog parks and veterinary clinics.

Key words (up to 7): animal bites, rabies, veterinarians, public health, epidemiology, community health