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At least two other people also were bitten by a fox recently in Jackson Township, according to the officials and news reports.
It was unclear whether the same fox was involved. Details about those attacks had not been released.
The young girl was bitten on her leg Saturday while picking flowers near Aldrich Road and West Connecticut Concourse, the county Health Department confirmed.
The girl’s older brother reportedly wrestled the fox off of her on Saturday, neighbors told CBS2 television news.
The fox was captured and then taken away by Jackson Animal Control, reports said.
The girl has begun post-exposure rabies treatments, health officials said.
Bats and raccoons are the leading carriers of rabies along the Jersey Shore, officials said. Two raccoons tested positive for rabies last year in Ocean County, they said.
Daniel Regenye, Ocean County Health Department Public Health Coordinator, said that the county reminds residents that animals can become infected with rabies, increasing the chance of human exposure.
"It does happen and that’s why it’s so important to remain vigilant especially in the warmer months when the potential for wildlife interactions with humans increase." Regenye said in a statement.
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