Another rabies alert issued after raccoon tests positive in Harford County

Another rabies alert went out from the Harford County Health Department on Friday, warning residents of Street that a raccoon tested positive.

The raccoon was found in the 1900 block of Jerrys Road, according to a news release from the department. The area is largely rural, but the county health department said it may have exposed people and pets to the virus.

“Witnessing a raccoon is not cause for alarm,” the news release said. “But if you or your pets have had contact with a raccoon in this area please contact the Harford County Health Department.”

Rabies can be easily prevented if treated quickly after exposure or a bite, but it is almost always fatal after symptoms start.

All pet dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated for the virus under Maryland law. The health department recommends keeping pets on a leash when walking them and keeping an eye on them when they are outside near your home.

Though there have been strange, even rare, stories of animals testing positive for rabies this summer, the infection is not on the rise in the state. There was a rabid fox in Baltimore’s Roland Park, then rabid beaver attacks at two state parks, followed by a rabid kitten caught in Baltimore County.

State data shows rabies infections have decreased over the past two decades. Raccoons often lead the list of animals most likely to have rabies.

This month in Harford County, health officials caught a bat inside St. Margaret School in Bel Air. It tested positive for rabies. It’s not clear if anyone was exposed in that incident.