Page 9 - Mid Valley Times 10-24-19 E-edition

Thursday, October 24, 2019
| A9 |
Mid Valley TiMes
Case of rabies in a
domestic cat first in
Fresno Co. since 1943
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Kevin Meikle, architect and director of aviation for Fresno Yosemite International Airport, gave a presentation on the future plans for the airport during the Reedley Rotary Club lunch on Oct. 17 at the Reedley Community Center.
Fresno Airport director shares facility's plans at Reedley Rotary Club meeting on Oct. 17
Contributed
On Oct. 9, the Fresno County Department of Public Health received a report of a positive case of rabies in a do- mestic cat that bit a Fresno County resident.
This is a remind- er for residents, that Fresno County is iden- tified by the California Department of Pub- lic Health as a rabies endemic area in the state. Rabies is a very serious disease and is almost always fatal if not treated before symptoms appear.
According to his- torical data, this is the first confirmed case of feline rabies in Fresno County since 1943.
Rabies remains a concern among wild mammals in Fresno County, especial- ly among bats and skunks. While any mammal can be in- fected with the rabies virus, bats are the most common mam- mal in Fresno County that carry rabies. In 2018 and 2019, six bats tested positive for ra- bies in Fresno County.
Rabies is a disease caused by a virus and is found in carnivores with sporadic spillover infection to domes- tic animals such as in this case. The disease is transmitted when another animal or hu-
man comes into contact with an infected ani- mal through its saliva, either through a bite, an open cut in the skin, or mucous membrane exposure for example mouth, nose or eyes. According to the Cen- ters for Disease Con- trol and Prevention the rabies virus infects the central nervous system of humans and animals, If a person does not re- ceive the appropriate medical care after a po- tential rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain, ultimately resulting in death.
Signs of rabies in a domestic pet:
• Trouble walking, drinking or eating
• A change in be- havior, such as aggres- sion
• Difficulty breath- ing and excessive sali- vation
If you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal or your pet;
• Immediately wash the wound with soap and water
• Call your medical provider
• Be prepared to provide detailed infor- mation about the date, time and location of the bite, a description of the animal and what you were doing at the time of the bite
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
At its Oct. 17 luncheon, Reedley Rotary Club members and guests had the opportunity to learn of fu- ture expansion plans for the Fres- no Yosemite International Airport from an ideal source — Kevin Meikle, architect and director of aviation for the airport.
Meikle was making his third visit to speak with Reedley Rotary, the first in two years. He made a slide presentation to about 25 Ro- tarians and guests, sharing infor- mation of future airport projects.
"What the heck does an airport do? it accommodates the airlines, and all the different functions you need to run an airport," Meikle said. "We've got to accommodate growth, because the region is growing. We
keep in tune with the trends." Those trends include keeping in contact with the airlines, both incumbent and one that many in the public desire – Southwest Air- lines. The airport has been in dis- cussion about the airline coming in, as Fresno is the largest airport in the country not being serviced
by Southwest.
Meikle also told how FYI (or
FAT as another common moniker) continues its growth with flying to Mexico. The airport has added a third destination, to the city of Leon.
"We're probably the only air- port in the United States where its number one destination is to a foreign country," Meikle told the audience. "Think about that. It's part of who we are."
Domestically, Fresno's biggest
recent addition has been the re- turn of non-stop round-trip flights to Chicago with full-sized jets. United Airlines currently has a route, and Meikle said American Airlines may also add one.
Meikle said future expansion plans include a three-story park- ing garage designed to hold more than 900 vehicles (estimated cost $35 million, to be completed in 2021). A terminal expansion (slat- ed to be ready in 2022) would build a new east concourse and two new dual use gates for domestic and in- ternational flights).
Meikle told the Rotarians and guests that the estimated airfield improvements and construction are designed to handle growing demand, with a forecast of more than a million passengers annually by 2020.
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