On Tuesday September 15, Matt Williams of the Pickens County Environmental Health Office was notified by the State Public Health Laboratory that a cat specimen submitted the previous day had tested positive for rabies. Mr. Williams’ investigation of the case found that the cat had been attacked by a raccoon on either July 19 or 20, along with at least two others on Paradise Lane in Jasper.

September 18 marks the second annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. The day is designed to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data, and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS.

Emergencies can happen anywhere in the world, including North Georgia. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness, and death in these situations. Whatever the emergency – from earthquake to terrorism, from floods to the flu pandemic – the story is the same: breastfeeding is a lifeline and a shield that protects infants in emergencies.

The North Georgia Health District and Georgia's Department of Community Health encourage Georgians to use this month's emphasis of National Preparedness to prepare for the fall flu season.