22 animals have tested positive in Middlesex County this year
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A raccoon observed acting strangely near Rutgers University's College Avenue Campus last week has tested positive for rabies, officials said.
The raccoon was spotted Thursday near a business in the area of Easton Avenue and Hamilton Street, according to a news release from Middlesex County.
The animal was killed and then taken to the New Jersey Department of Health Laboratory for testing. Officials announced Monday that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.
More rabies cases being reported
No humans or animals are believed to have come into contact with the raccoon.
The raccoon is the second rabid animal found in the city this year and the 22nd in Middlesex County.
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. Anyone bitten by a wild animal is urged to notify their local health department after thoroughly washing the wound and contacting a doctor.
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