Perth County is dealing with its second confirmed rabies case of 2017 – in the exact same spot as its first one.
According to the Perth District Health Unit, both tests come from a farm in the Wallace Ward area, north of Listowel.
Rabies can be spread from animals to humans or other animals through a bite, scratch or cut. It is typically fatal in animals.
It is believed that the farm in question was likely first infected via a rabid skunk, fox or other wild animal. Humans are not believed to be at risk.
There have been three other recent cases of rabies diagnosed in animals in Perth County.
A cow in the former Elma Township south of Listowel tested positive for the virus in November, while it was also found in a cow and a skunk in the Milverton area a few months before that.
There were a total of 288 confirmed cases of rabies in Ontario in 2016, with the vast majority occurring in and around Hamilton. The outbreak is believed to have been caused by a raccoon that somehow made its way to southern Ontario from New York state.
Health officials say the best way to protect animals from the virus is to ensure their vaccinations are up-to-date.
