A third park visitor was bitten by a kitten also living in the 1,000-acre park. That kitten has tested negative for rabies. Fairfax County and state health officials are concerned, because they have no way to contact visitors who may have been bitten by the cats. Many visitors don't register in the park or they list no address or phone number. The average number of campers registering in the park, a popular spot for tourists from across the country to the nation's Capital area, is approximately 50-65 per day in June, according to a park official.
Preventative shots are effective against rabies in humans if they are given before symptoms begin.
The earlier treatment is begun the more effective it is in preventing rabies. Because the rabies virus is transmitted through saliva, people who are at risk were bitten or got saliva into a fresh, open wound. The last human rabies case reported in the United States was in Virginia in 1998. A rabid bat was the suspected cause in that case.