A raccoon picked up near White Oak Park is the first to test positive for rabies in 2020, according to the Allegheny County Health Department.
The raccoon was found near Jacks Run Road in White Oak, the department said. It is the first positive rabies test of 2020, although the animal was transported to the health department lab on Dec. 31, according to spokesman Ryan Scarpino.
In 2019, 25 animals tested positive for rabies in the county, according to the health departments preliminary totals. They included 18 raccoons, five bats and two cats.
The health department advises people to be wary of animals that are acting strange or threatening and they should call police or the Pennsylvania Game Commission to report such behavior.
Anyone who is bitten, scratched or exposed to the saliva of an animal that may be rabid should wash the area with soap and water, seek medical treatment and call the health department to report it at 412-687-2243.
