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This year marks the 15th anniversary of my sister’s death from rabies.
In 2010, my sister Ivy bought a home in Sumter, South Carolina, and eagerly began rehabilitating it. Soon, she noticed bats finding their way into her enclosed back porch and main living areas.
Aware that bats can carry rabies, she called the local Animal Control office in 2011 to express her concerns. Instead of health advice, she received a warning: She was told bats are protected, and killing them could land her in jail. No one advised her to seek a medical assessment or contact the health department to protect herself and her son.
Months later, Ivy developed flu-like symptoms. What followed was a harrowing journey of confusion and misdiagnoses before a neurologist finally ordered a rabies test. By the time we had an answer, it was too late. Rabies is 100% preventable before symptoms appear, but there is little that can be done once a patient becomes symptomatic.
I recently retired as an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, having spent my career in domestic and global health. Yet, sitting in that intensive care unit, my professional background could not save my sister. Her death illuminated critical systemic gaps in how we communicate public health risks at the local level.
Seven out of every 10 deaths from rabies in people are linked to bats, and rabid bats can be found in every state except Hawaii. A public health survey conducted in Sumter County after Ivy’s death found 3.5% of respondents had bats either living in their home or entering the home. And while respondents generally knew that bats can transmit rabies, they had limited knowledge of the risks or how to protect themselves.
The mistakes surrounding Ivy’s death were born of institutional silos and poor communication:
My mother feels our family was robbed, and she is right. Ivy did not have to die. To prevent this from happening to another family, we must fundamentally shift our public health approach.
One life lost to a fully preventable disease is one life too many. In the last year and a half, we’ve seen significant cuts to public health funding and infrastructure. Without protecting public health investments, declining engagement and resources are inevitable, and we run the risk of repeating past public health mistakes.
Tonji Durant is a retired CDC scientist. She now advocates for stronger health systems and coordinated public health communication to prevent tragedies like her sister Ivy’s death. Tonji is a member of the Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership, whose work focuses on empowering public health professionals across the South.
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