Florida health officials are urging residents to avoid unnecessary contact with armadillos as the Sunshine State continues to report an increase in leprosy cases, with the overwhelming majority of infections now clustered in Central Florida.
State health authorities say many of the recent cases have been associated with exposure to armadillos, one of the few animals known to naturally carry the bacteria responsible for the disease. While leprosy remains uncommon in the United States, officials are encouraging Floridians to exercise caution when encountering the animals, particularly in areas where infections have been concentrated.
According to a report from WFLA, the Florida Department of Health has documented 17 confirmed leprosy cases statewide as of July 23. The numbers reveal that approximately 81 percent of those infections have occurred in just five Central Florida counties: Volusia, Brevard, Lake, Orange, and Seminole.
