Raccoon found in Monroe tests positive for rabies

MONROE - A raccoon tested positive for rabies after being found in the vicinity of Schoolhouse Lane near Geraldine Drive, according to an advisory issued by the Middlesex County Public Health Department.

The raccoon is the fourth rabid animal reported in Middlesex County this year, but was the first rabid animal reported in Monroe.

On May 24, the raccoon was trapped by a homeowner and was then was picked up by the Monroe Township animal control officer (ACO). The ACO then had the animal prepared as a specimen to be tested at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services laboratory. The state reported on Tuesday that the raccoon tested positive.

No humans or other animals were reported to have been exposed to the rabid raccoon, according to the county health department, and all those involved were advised of the positive test results.

"The Middlesex County Public Health Department continues to monitor rabies cases within the county," David A. Papi, director of the health department, said in a statement. "Residents should remain vigilant of wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior and to have their pets receive their rabies vaccination. Additionally, it is recommended that residents should avoid contact with wild animals and immediately report any bites from wild or domestic animals to your local health department and consult a physician as soon as possible."

Rabies is caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including man. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is transmitted by a bite or possibly by contamination of an open cut. Bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats, and dogs represent about 95 percent of animals diagnosed with rabies in the United States.