CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A raccoon that wandered near people tested positive for rabies in Chesapeake, the health department announced Friday.
Health officials say the raccoon was found in the backyard of a home in the Valley Stream neighborhood on Aug. 19.
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. It kills almost any mammal or human that gets sick from it, according to the Chesapeake Health Dept.
The rabies virus is mainly in the saliva and brain of rabid animals. It can be transmitted through a bite or getting saliva or brain tissue in a wound, eye, nose, or mouth.
As always, it's important to keep your pets vaccinated and avoid any contact with wild animals.
If you think you or your pet might have come into contact with a rabid animal, call Chesapeake Animal Control at 757-382-8080.
If you're ver bit by a wild animal, get medical help right away.
For more information on the rabies virus, click here.
