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The Middlesex County Office of Health Services is reporting that a skunk tested positive for rabies in Monroe Township in the vicinity of Schoolhouse Road and Galacia Way.
It's the second rabid animal reported in Monroe this year, according to a press statement.
On Dec. 2, a resident of Monroe reported an injured skunk in their yard to Animal Control. The animal was picked up by the Animal Control officer and transported to a wildlife rehabilitator in Mercer County.
On Monday Dec. 6, the skunk died at that facility. It was then taken to the New Jersey Department of Health Laboratory for testing. It was reported on Thursday that the animal tested positive for rabies. The wildlife rehabilitator was notified to consult with a physician regarding rabies post exposure treatment, officials said.
The Middlesex County Office of Health Services continues to monitor rabies cases within the municipality. Residents should report wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior to the Police Department.
Additionally, it is recommended that residents should avoid contact with wild animals and immediately report any bites from wild or domestic animals to your local health department and consult a physician as soon as possible. Finally, be sure that all family pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations, county officials advised.
Rabies is caused by a virus which can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including humans. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is transmitted by bite, or possibly by contamination of an open cut.
Raccoon and bat variants of rabies are prevalent in New Jersey, health department officials said.
Bats, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats and dogs represent about 95 percent of animals diagnosed with rabies in the Unites States, they said.
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