MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County is one of 24 counties statewide deploying oral rabies vaccine(ORV) baits via aircraft in August.
“If you find a bait, leave it where you found it, unless it’s in your lawn or driveway,” said Todd Powroznik, Environmental Health Program Manager at the Monongalia County Health Department. “If you do find any in those places, wear gloves and remove the baits, and put them in a thicker area where raccoons and wild animals will find them.”
Racoons and other wild animals eat the bait that gives them protection from the virus and prevent them from passing it to other animals.
Three different types of ORV is being deployed in Monongalia County. One is a blister pack, one green and one white and the other is wrapped in a brown coating. The vaccine is not harmful to pets, but ingesting a large amount could cause an upset stomach.
Last year, 1,400 baits were distributed in the Monongalia County area.
ORV will also be deployed in Marion, Harrison, Taylor, Wetzel, Tyler, Barbour, Brooke, Doddridge, Greenbrier, Fayette, Hancock, Lewis, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Nicholas, Ohio, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Upshur, Webster, and Wyoming counties.