A raccoon picked up recently in Lawrenceville tested positive for the rabies virus, the Allegheny County Health Department said Thursday.
The raccoon was found in the 4900 block of Hatfield Street.
It is the 12th rabid animal — and ninth raccoon — reported in Allegheny County in 2019. The other cases include two bats and a cat.
In 2018, the health department confirmed rabies cases in 25 animals: 12 raccoons, nine bats, two cats, one fox and one groundhog.
Residents are advised to avoid wild and stray animals to prevent exposure to rabies. If an animal is suspected of having rabies, residents should notify their local animal control service, the police or the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Rabies is transmitted by an animal bite or scratch. Anyone bitten or exposed to the saliva of a wild animal is advised to seek emergency medical treatment and call the Allegheny County Health Department (412-687-2243) to report the incident.
First Published: May 23, 2019, 6:22 p.m.
