MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – For the first time since 2001, two rabid raccoons set off alerts in Miami-Dade, according to health officials.
The first rabid raccoon attacked veterinarian Les Gerson in his driveway near to Miami-Dade College Kendall campus. The second raccoon "was killed by a car in the Kendall area," an agency spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
After the second finding, the Florida Department of Health announced on Saturday that they were expanding the boundaries at risk in Southwest Miami-Dade.
For the next 60 days, the area of concern for the spread of the disease is between Sunset Drive and Southwest 128th Street from the Florida Turnpike to Southwest 87th Avenue.
Health officials were asking resident to make sure their pets had rabies vaccinations, to call animal control to remove stray animals, to avoid feeding raccoons and to teach children to stay away from the animals.
For more information about the alert, call the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 305-324-2400.