Two more positive tests for rabies in raccoons have public health officials warning the public not to think of it as just a rural problem.
“We encourage the public to remain aware, keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, and avoid contact with wildlife, unfamiliar animals and animals acting strangely,” Dr. Malcolm Lock, the Brant County Health Unit’s medical officer of health, said in a press release.
The two latest positive tests mean that five raccoons found in either Brantford or Brant County have been determined to have rabies since December.
More than 150 cases of rabid animals have been reported in southern Ontario, with most centering on Hamilton and its surrounding animals.
While the vast majority of infected animals have been raccoons, the disease has also been found in dozens of skunks and one bat.
The province has responded by airdropping doses of the rabies vaccine with a scent designed to attract animals.
By September, the number of doses on the ground is expected to hit one million.
