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Articles written by Jon Ebelt


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  • West Nile Virus Detected in Montana

    Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, DPHHS|Jul 27, 2023

    State and local health officials are reporting the first West Nile Virus (WNV) detection of the year in mosquitoes sampled from Blaine County. No humans or horses have tested positive for WNV yet this season. Infected mosquitoes can transmit WNV when they bite, and increased risk of WNV transmission to humans and horses is expected to continue through October – or as long as mosquitoes are active in the state. While no human cases of WNV were reported in 2022, in previous seasons Montana has reported over 50 human cases in a single summer. I...

  • Public Health Officials Remind Montanans that Rabies Remains a Threat

    Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, DPHHS|Jun 29, 2023

    State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to be aware of the risk for exposure to rabies as summer approaches. The risk for potential encounters between humans and wild animals increases during spring and summer because of the time spent hiking and engaging in other outdoor activities. On June 13, 2023, DPHHS received the first report of a rabid animal this year. A striped skunk in Powder River County tested positive for rabies. In 2022, 13 animals submitted for rabies testing to the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL)...