Health Alert: Woman Found Who Encountered Rabid Raccoon (Update)

Updated at 11:20 a.m.

A woman who brought a rabid raccoon into a veterinary office has talked with county health officials about the health risk after seeing the news on social media, authorities say.

Patch’s Original Post

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health is trying to find a woman who brought an injured raccoon -- which has since tested positive for rabies -- to Arnold Pet Station on Ritchie Highway on Wednesday.

Authorities say the woman brought the animal to the Arnold facility between 8 and 9 a.m., on Aug. 5. The raccoon may have been hit by a vehicle on Ritchie Highway.

Rabies is a fatal disease that is spread when an infected animal’s saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, open cut, scratch or wound of a person or another animal.

In order to discuss possible treatment for rabies exposure, the woman should call the Department of Health at 410-222-7256 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or call 443-481-3140 on weekends and evenings.

County health officials warn residents not to touch or feed wild or stray animals. Wild animals, even cute young ones, that look as if they need affection, help or rehabilitation, might in fact have rabies.

For online information about rabies, go to:
http://www.aahealth.org/programs/env-hlth/orv/rabies-fact.

»Patch file photo