A raccoon involved in a fight with a pet near Edinburg has tested positive for rabies, the Lord Fairfax Health District announced in a Friday news release.

The raccoon was found in the Liberty Furnace Road area of Shenandoah County, northwest of Edinburg.

“While the raccoon no longer poses a threat,” Dr. Colin Greene, district director, said in the news release, “any people or domestic animals that came in contact with a raccoon in that area between 29 April and 9 May should receive a medical evaluation immediately.”

The health department strongly advises that people take the following steps to prevent families and pets from being exposed to rabies:

Never approach or touch wild animals, especially any raccoon, fox, skunk or bat, especially if it’s behaving oddly or if it’s seen in daylight. These animals are the main carriers of rabies in the eastern part of the country.

Avoid stray cats and dogs. Feral or unknown cats and dogs may also carry rabies. Report bites or scratches from these animals to your physician or the health department.

Vaccinate all cats, dogs and ferrets against rabies (even if they don’t go outdoors) and keep their shots up to date.

Do not feed wild animals or stray cats and dogs. Eliminate outdoor food sources around the home.

Keep pets confined to your property or walk them on a leash.

Anyone whose domestic animals are bitten or otherwise interact with a wild animal needs to notify the local health department and an animal control officer at once.

This is the second report of rabies in Shenandoah County in the last month, and the third in the Northern Shenandoah Valley since the start of April.

On April 8, a raccoon was captured on King David Drive in the Apple Mountain subdivision of Linden. On April 14, a skunk was captured in Massanutten Trailer Park in Mount Jackson. Both animals tested positive for rabies.

Anyone bitten, scratched or licked by a wild or aggressive animal should seek medical attention immediately, the release cautions. Rabies is fatal to both animals and humans once symptoms begin, but it can be prevented in humans if they receive a vaccine and medication soon after exposure.

For more information, call the Shenandoah County Health Department at 540-459-3733.

Additional information on rabies is available from the Virginia Department of Health at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/rabies-control/.

The Lord Fairfax Health District serves residents in Winchester and Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties. For more information, visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/lord-fairfax/.