WESTFIELD—A juvenile raccoon was found with rabies in Westfield on Thursday.
The city put out a rabies alert notification on its website, notifying citizens of the risk on Friday, following the reported finding. The infected raccoon was found in the Kellogg St. area around 3:15 p.m., and animal control was able to take away the raccoon. No injuries or exposures were reported at this time, according to Westfield Police.
“We’re aware of it, and we’re working with city officials,” Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Division of Epidemiology and Immunization communications director Scott Zoback said about the situation.
Zoback added that he thinks “the appropriate outreach is being done.”
Police said that the residents within the area where the rabid raccoon was found were informed of it, and are being given literature and further information on the animal and the disease.
“Generally rabies is a contact issue, and so it’s checking if anyone’s had contact with the raccoon,” Zoback said about the process.
“If they have handled this raccoon they really do need to be accessed for their exposure,” Kevin Cranston, DPH Division of Epidemiology and Immunization director and administrator, said. “Rabies can be contained in the saliva of the infected animal, and saliva is enough to transmit the disease.”
Cranston also said to make sure not to wait until symptoms, which is at that point too late for treatment. Additionally, once symptoms begin, the disease is almost always fatal.
Cranston stressed that if anyone had come in contact with the animal, then it is best to seek immediate medical attention and receive prophylactic treatment. According to the Westfield rabies alert notification, the treatment “consists of four shots with the first dose administered promptly after the exposure, and then again three, seven and 14 days later.” Then, if people have an altered immune response, an additional dose should be administered on day 28.
Finally, Cranston urges anyone who witnesses an animal with unusual behavior to be cautious of the animal. In wild animals this includes erratic behavior or seeking human contact.
