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SHENANDOAH COUNTY, Virginia (WHSV) – Last weekend, a rabid racoon attacked a person in Shenandoah County, and health officials want the public to know.
According to a statement from Lord Fairfax Health District, a person from the Georgetown Road area, west of Mount Jackson, was attacked by an unprovoked raccoon on May 18.
The animal was captured by law enforcement, euthanized and sent for a rabies screening test, which turned out to be positive.
The district said anyone in the community who could have come into contact with a raccoon in this area of the county between May 8 and May 18 should immediately consult an emergency service.
Anyone who could have brought a pet into contact with a raccoon in this area should also immediately seek care from his pet.
Rabies transmission requires the contact of the saliva of a rabid animal or central nervous system tissue with a new injury or mucous membrane such as the eye, mouth, or nose.
One of the symptoms of rabies begins, the disease is 100% lethal, but it can be easily prevented if treatment begins immediately after exposure.
All are encouraged to vaccinate their pets to protect them, their family members, loved ones and the community in general from rabies. In fact, not only is this encouraged, but the law of Virginia requires it.
In addition to keeping pets vaccinated and keeping vaccinations up-to-date, the Lord Fairfax Health District recommends taking the following steps to protect family members and pets from rabies:
• Avoid contact with wild animals, such as raccoons and skunks, or stray cats and dogs, especially if they behave strangely or are visible in the daytime. These animals are the main vectors of rabies in the eastern United States.
• Do not feed wild animals or stray cats and dogs. Wild and unknown cats and dogs may also be rabies. Report the bites or scratches of these animals to your doctor or health department.
• Report stray animals to your local animal control agency
• Eliminate outdoor food sources around the house
• Keep pets confined to your property or walk them on a leash.
• If you are bitten, scratched or licked by any of these animals, consult a doctor immediately. Rabies is deadly to animals and humans once symptoms appear, but it can be prevented in humans when they receive the vaccine and medications soon after exposure.
For more information, or if you have questions about a possible exposure, visit vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/rabies-control/ or call the Shenandoah County Department of Health at 540-459- 3733.
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