Last week, two New Brunswick children received preventative treatment after coming into contact with a baby raccoon that tested positive for rabies in Charlotte County, N.B.
The raccoon kit was “acting abnormally docile,” according to Mélanie Sivret, a spokesperson for the province. The children encountered the animal in an individual’s yard.
Sivret said the family involved was made aware of the raccoon’s positive test result, and the two children received precautionary care.
The likelihood of transmission in this case was low, she said in an emailed statement to Global News on Saturday.
But the incident should remind parents to teach their children not to handle wild animals, Sivret added.
According to the province’s website, rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system of mammals.
This includes wild animals, such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes, as well as pets, like dogs, cats, horses and ferrets.
“Rabies is deadly for wild animals and family pets. The disease can also kill people if they are exposed to rabies and are not treated promptly,” the province said.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 1:35 p.m. (AST) on Sat. June 11, 2020 with a correction. The original article stated that the two children had contracted rabies. They received preventative treatment. Global News regrets the error.