A fourth rabies case has been confirmed in Summers County.
Chad Meador with the Summers County Health Department said a raccoon killed by a dog in the Ellison Ridge Road area near Jumping Branch tested positive for the virus Tuesday.
“The dog was unvaccinated,” Meador reported. “The owner refused to have the animal euthanized, so it will be quarantined in a double pen, with no human contact, for six months, as required by state law.”
Meador said the dog’s owner didn’t really suspect the raccoon was rabid at the time his pet killed it. During a later discussion with another person, the man realized it would be prudent to take the raccoon’s head to the health department for testing.
“We’ve had rabies confirmed in every portion of the county now,” Meador noted. “It’s not just a pocket here and there. People need to be aware how widespread the problem is.”
He said Summers County officials have not indicated they are considering any cooperative venture with surrounding counties that are also experiencing unusually high numbers of rabid animals killed in populated areas.
Nearby Greenbrier County has confirmed 19 cases in the past 12 months.
— E-mail: talvey@register-herald.com
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