Dairy farm cow tests positive for rabies near Listowel
A cow from a working dairy farm in Elma Ward, near Listowel in northern Perth County, has tested positive for rabies, Perth District Health Unit says.
"The cow was most likely in contact with a rabid wild animal, such as a skunk or fox," Dale Lyttle, Senior Public Health Inspector said in a release.
Elma Ward is a rural farming community including Atwood, Britton, Donegal, Gotham, Newry and Trowbridge in the municipality of North Perth.
The local health unit is currently working with the farm to determine potential human exposure.
According to the release, there have never been any published reports of humans contracting rabies through cows' milk. "Milk that has been heat pasteurized presents no risk for rabies virus transmission," the unit said, although it is "theoretically possible" consuming unpasteurized milk from an infected animal could transmit the virus.
Rabies in area
This is the third confirmed rabid animal in Perth County since 2015, the unit says. However
The previous confirmed cases were located in Ellice Ward and were a cow in December 2015, and a skunk in April 2016.
The Arctic fox strain of rabies was detected in Perth County in January, 2016.
The health unit advises people to keep their pets vaccinated against rabies. It also suggests parents teach children to stay away from wild animals, pets they don't know or animals acting strangely. "A strange acting animal could be a sign that it is sick," the release said.
"Don't feed, transport or relocate wildlife," it added.