Officials have confirmed Perth County’s third case of rabies in the past year.

Last December, a calf in the Ellice area south of Milverton was confirmed to be rabid. In April, a rabid skunk was found in the same part of the county.

According to the Perth District Health Unit, a cow has now tested positive for the disease in the former Elma Township south of Listowel.

The cow in question was on a working dairy farm. Public health officials believe it likely came into contact with a wild animal that already had rabies.

Work is underway to ensure any potential human health risks from the rabid cow are mitigated. The health unit says the disease cannot be transmitted through pasteurized milk, and there are no known cases anywhere in the world of someone being infected with rabies by drinking unpasteurized milk.

Public health officials say the best way to prevent rabies is to ensure all animals you own are vaccinated against the disease.

As of Oct. 31, there had been 246 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in Ontario this year.