Raccoon tests positive for rabies in Bethel Park, 18th infected animal reported this year

Tribune-Review | Tuesday, September 1, 2020 3:50 p.m.

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A raccoon found in Bethel Park has tested positive for rabies, the Allegheny County Health Department reported.

The county laboratory tested the raccoon after it was reported on Gleenrock Drive, officials said.

The animal is the 18th so far this year to test positive for rabies, which is a viral infection that can affect the nervous system of animals and humans, according to health officials.

It is transmitted by a scratch or bite and almost always is fatal if untreated.

The health department said eight bats, six raccoons, three cats and a groundhog were among the 18 animals infected with the virus.

Health officials urge people to avoid wild and stray animals and make sure their pets have up-to-date vaccinations.

Anyone who has been bitten, scratched or exposed to the saliva of an animal thought to be rabid should wash the area, seek medical treatment and call the health department at 412-687-2243 to file a report.

If an animal acts strangely or becomes aggressive, notify the local animal control service, the police or the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

To help control rabies among raccoons, the health department earlier this summer distributed bait containing a vaccine.

Between July 31 and Aug. 10, employees and volunteers with the county health department and the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Rabies Management Program distributed the bait from cars and aircraft throughout the county, including many parks.

The bait contains a fishy smell that attracts raccoons and is proportioned to make it difficult for smaller animals to eat, according to the county.

The vaccine cannot cause rabies.

A raccoon that eats the bait will be vaccinated against rabies by developing antibodies two to three weeks after it is ingested.

This is the 20th year the vaccine baiting program has been conducted.