Last Updated on September 1, 2026 6:37 am
AppHealthCare has announced coordinated response plans with both UNC Health Appalachian and Ashe Memorial Hospital to provide rabies treatment for anyone exposed at the August 8 private event in Watauga County, and released a full list of potential exposure sites connected to the statewide investigation.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed rabies in multiple baby goats from Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo based in Harmony, N.C. The goats may have been infectious while present at several off-site events between July 28 and August 27, 2026. Known potential exposure dates and locations include:
July 28: Jurney's Assisted Living, Statesville (Iredell County)
July 30: Private event, Mecklenburg County
Aug. 1: Community Connections Back-to-School Bash, Breeden Amphitheater, Lexington (Davidson County)
Aug. 6: Brookdale Peachtree, Statesville (Iredell County)
Aug. 8: Private event, Watauga County
Aug. 9: Private event, Burke County
Aug. 15: Masonic Picnic Grounds, Mocksville (Davie County)
Aug. 16: Private event, Durham County
Aug. 22: Private event, Iredell County
Aug. 23: Private event, Durham County
For anyone exposed at the Watauga County event, AppHealthCare and UNC Health Appalachian are coordinating rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, a four-dose treatment series. Under the arrangement, UNC Health Appalachian will administer the first dose when indicated, while AppHealthCare will coordinate and oversee the remaining three doses in an outpatient clinical setting rather than the hospital's Emergency Department. AppHealthCare is contacting individuals directly to let them know where to receive their remaining doses.
A parallel arrangement is in place with Ashe Memorial Hospital: individuals who receive their first dose there will continue receiving the rest of their doses at Ashe Memorial.
“Situations like this demonstrate why strong partnerships between public health and healthcare are so important,” said Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO of AppHealthCare. “Our role as the public health department is to identify people who may have been exposed, assess their risk and connect them with the appropriate care.”
“When a potential rabies exposure occurs, coordination between public health and healthcare providers is essential to making sure individuals understand their risk and receive appropriate care,” said Nathan Nipper, President and CEO of UNC Health Appalachian.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, but infection can be prevented when treatment is given before symptoms begin. Exposure can occur when an infected animal's saliva contacts a bite, scratch, broken skin, or mucous membranes.
Anyone who had direct contact with the baby goats from Farm Adventures between July 28 and August 27 should contact their local health department as soon as possible for a risk assessment, and should call before going to an emergency department or urgent care so officials can direct them appropriately. Anyone potentially exposed at the August 8 event in Watauga County should call AppHealthCare at (828) 795-1970; after hours, stay on the line to be connected to the on-call service.
