Mullica Township First case of rabies confirmed in township

A raccoon found chasing a cat May 11 has tested positive for rabies.

The raccoon was spotted chasing the cat by a property owner in the area of South Carolina and Fourth avenues. The municipal animal control officer removed the raccoon from the property and sent it for testing at the New Jersey State Department of Health Laboratory, where the rabies test results were confirmed May 18, according to Atlantic County Health Officer Patricia Diamond.

An investigation by county health officials indicated there were no human exposures, officials said.

It was the township’s first confirmed case of rabies this year and the second case found in Atlantic County in 2009.

“If you find a wild or stray animal on your property you should contact your local animal control officer,” Diamond said in a release.

The Atlantic County Division of Public Health asks anyone who has been bitten or exposed to an animal through a scratch or had any contact with the animal’s saliva, to seek medical attention immediately and report the bite by calling 609-645-5971.