Rabid raccoon sparks health alert in Richmond County

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Health officials are warning the public about the latest rabid raccoon found in Augusta.

It was killed Aug. 7 by a dog in the Piedmont Street area of Augusta, according to the Richmond County Department of Public Health.

Test results from the Georgia Pubic Health Laboratory confirmed the raccoon was positive for rabies.

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The Richmond County Health Department’s Environmental Health Section is currently notifying residents in the area to avoid with wild animals and telling people to take these steps:

Make sure your dogs and cats are currently vaccinated against rabies.
Do not let your pets roam free. They are more likely to have with a rabid wild animal.
Avoid feeding your animals outside. This draws stray and wild animals to your doorstep.
Teach your children not to approach wild animals and animals they don’t know.

Report any by humans and domestic animals with wild animals to Richmond County Health Department Environmental Health Section office at 706-667-4234 or Augusta Animal Services at 706-790-6836.

For additional information on rabies, visit https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.