The so-called hare plague was diagnosed in a brown hare that died in the Upper Franconian district of Forchheim. The Forchheim district office announced on Wednesday that the bacterial disease can be transmitted to humans. The disease can lead to severe, flu-like symptoms in humans.
Transmission could occur, for example, through direct contact with sick or dead animals. This would be the case, for example, when skinning and gutting hunted game. The district office advises not to touch dead or sick hares or wild rabbits and also to avoid contact with the blood or excrement of such animals.
If you want to eat wild hares or rabbits, you should make sure that the meat is well cooked. Knives or cutting boards used during preparation should be cleaned and disinfected with hot water. Hunters suffering from unclear illnesses are advised to consult a doctor.