The first rabies case of the year has been confirmed in Forsyth County.
A raccoon found in the area of Sweetwater Drive and Buford Dam Road tested positive, according to a press release from District 2 of the Department of Public Health.
The rabid raccoon was discovered from an altercation with a cat over the weekend of Aug. 9-11, according to Todd Driver with Forsyth County Environmental Health. The owner of the cat separated the animals, but both the cat and the owner were exposed during the incident.
The last positive rabies case in Forsyth County was in July 2018, according to Dave Palmer, public information officer with the Department of Health.
The incident should serve as a reminder for residents to make sure their pets are up to date with their rabies vaccine, Driver said. He also advised that residents don’t approach wild animals, particularly foxes and raccoons.
Those who see a wild animal acting strangely should contact the Department of Natural Resources’ Ranger Hotline at 1-800-241-4113.