Nine raccoons and one fox have tested positive this year for rabies in Middletown, the most recent of which were found near Locust Point Road and Pineridge Avenue.
Health Department Director Rich DeBenedetto said it is important for residents to be aware of the risks, since rabies is incurable and often fatal.
“We are seeing a lot right now, but we’re doing a lot of testing, too,” he added. “We’re being very proactive in our animal control program.”
According to DeBenedetto, the county has identified 21 rabid animals, while Middletown accounts for 10 of those. “Out of the 16 raccoons, we’ve come back with nine out of 16, and one fox,” he said.
While the disease is more pronounced in Monmouth County and particularly Middletown, borders do not confine rabies.
The second of two animals tested positive in Middlesex County on July 1, according to the Middlesex County Office of Health Services. The raccoon was found in Cranbury.
According to the county, the raccoon attacked a resident’s pet dog prior to being captured and testing positive for the disease.
Rabies is caused by a virus, which can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including man. Bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats and dogs represent about 95 percent of animals diagnosed with rabies in the United States.
David Henry, health officer for the Monmouth County Health Commission, said rabies is always a pervasive issue.
“It’s always an endemic problem,” he said. “ … And we do stay very vigilant in regards to the precautions that we relate to our residents and first responders.”
According to Henry, the best course of action is to disseminate information about rabies to prevent its spread to humans, in addition to identifying, capturing and testing potentially rabid animals. DeBenedetto agreed that the best methods for preventing the spread of rabies is informing residents about the dangers of interacting too closely with wildlife and the importance of vaccinating pets.
While the danger is very real, Henry said the total cases remain low. However, DeBenedetto said Middletown’s large feral cat population presents an added risk for the spread of the disease.
If there is a chance that a resident has contracted rabies or come into contact with a rabid animal, they should immediately seek medical assistance, he said.
Henry said a number of free rabies clinics offer pet testing and vaccinations.