Illinois 01/15/13 suntimes.com: The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to further test for chronic wasting disease after a deer was found to have the illness in the district’s Mallard Lake Forest Preserve next to Hanover Park. “There is no threat to the public’s health or safety,” said the Forest Preserve District’s ecologist Brian Kraskiewicz. “However, we’ll be working with the IDNR to test additional deer to determine if this was an anomaly or if there is an issue among the herd.” Kraskiewicz said that the forest district’s deer management program already helps control the transmission of diseases such as CWD. Last year, the district culled 250 deer as part of that program, with 85 tested according to IDNR standards. The disease recently was found in one deer and, because of that finding, another 20 deer will be culled over the next three weeks from Mallard Lake and Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve, which borders Mallard Lake also next to Hanover Park. . . . Chronic wasting disease is a progressive neurological disease that affects elk, deer and moose, and was first detected in Illinois’ Boone County in 2002. There have been 372 positive results found in 11 northern Illinois counties since. The new case is the first in DuPage County. – For complete article see http://couriernews.suntimes.com/news/17599013-418/dupage-deer-found-with-chronic-wasting-disease.html
Rabies:
Maryland 01/14/13 Carroll County: A young, distressed cat that a Sykesville resident attempted to rescue in a community near Main Street has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/sykesville-resident-exposed-to-rabies-after-trying-to-help-stray/article_681d765e-af86-58e5-bbce-469675d8193a.html
Minnesota 01/09/13 Mower County: Health officials confirmed on Jan. 4th that a horse stabled in the county has tested positive for rabies. The horse’s owner reported the animal had become weak, began head pressing and falling and having difficulty rising. – http://www.thehorse.com/articles/31183/minnesota-horse-tests-positive-for-rabies
Nebraska 01/15/13 Cherry County: A cow submitted by a veterinarian has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.sheridancountyjournalstar.net/ag-news/1139-cow-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-cherry-county
Rhode Island 01/15/13 Washington County: A raccoon that attacked a person and two dogs Monday on Heritage Road in North Kingstown was not captured but is presumed to have rabies. Residents are asked to report wildlife acting strangely. – See http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2013/01/15/person-treated-for-rabies-after-raccoon-attack/bDYSZtyzMsTbpbPsvKPf5J/story.html
South Carolina 01/09/13 Charleston County: Health officials confirmed today that five adults and one teenager have been exposed to a cat that tested positive for rabies. – See http://www2.counton2.com/news/2013/jan/09/cat-exposes-six-rabies-charleston-county-ar-5330590/
Virginia 01/14/13 Danville: A raccoon found in the vicinity of Westover Drive has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www2.wsls.com/news/2013/jan/14/danville-families-alerted-first-rabies-case-2013-ar-2465553/