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Health officials warn Marion residents after rabid raccoon found
WCVB • • health
Key Points:
- A raccoon in Marion, Massachusetts, tested positive for rabies, leading the town to issue a rabies advisory for residents to remain cautious.
- Residents are urged to avoid contact with wild animals showing signs of rabies and to report any suspicious animals to Animal Control or emergency services.
- In Massachusetts, raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes, woodchucks, and unvaccinated domestic cats are the primary carriers of rabies.
- Rabies symptoms in animals include unusual aggression, lethargy, paralysis, seizures, excessive salivation, and difficulty breathing or swallowing; the disease is fatal but preventable.
- Rabies spreads through bites or saliva entering wounds or mucous membranes, and prompt treatment after exposure is critical for preventing the disease.
