{"id":13256,"date":"2025-04-18T11:46:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T15:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/?page_id=13256"},"modified":"2025-04-18T12:00:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T16:00:46","slug":"skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies-virus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/archived-news-releases\/2025-regional-news-releases\/skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies-virus\/","title":{"rendered":"Skunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 17, 2025
\nMedia Contact<\/strong>: Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager,
\nHampton and Peninsula Health Districts
\n757-508-0970 or peninsula.eh@vdh.virginia.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Skunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus <\/strong><\/p>\n

JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. – A skunk found in the 3000 Block of Forge Road and Route 60 has tested positive for the rabies virus. Anyone having information regarding any exposure to this animal should contact the Peninsula Health District’s Newport News Environmental Health Office at (757) 594-7340 or JCC Animal Control, (757) 565-0370 (daytime) or (757) 253-1800 (evenings, weekends and holidays).<\/p>\n

Exposures include direct contact with the saliva of the rabid animal by either a person or a pet.\u00a0 This can occur via a bite or scratch, or through any open wound, eyes, nose or mouth.<\/p>\n

Rabies is a fatal, but preventable, disease that is carried by mammals and has been in the wild animal population on the Peninsula since the mid 1980\u2019s.\u00a0 Our local office of Environmental Health Services will be contacting the immediate neighbors as well as any civic or homeowner\u2019s association that serves the community.<\/p>\n

The Peninsula Health District would like to remind all citizens to follow these three important rabies prevention guidelines:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Vaccinate your pets.<\/li>\n
  2. Report all exposures to animals (usually bites and scratches) to your doctor and the local health department.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Enjoy wildlife from a distance \u2013 don\u2019t feed or encourage wild animals such as raccoons, skunks or foxes to visit your premises.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      # # #<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      April 17, 2025 Media Contact: Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager, Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts 757-508-0970 or peninsula.eh@vdh.virginia.gov Skunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. – A skunk found in the 3000 Block of Forge Road and Route 60 has tested positive for the rabies virus. Anyone having information regarding any exposure […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":0,"parent":12292,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[915,34,209],"class_list":["post-13256","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-james-city-county","tag-rabies","tag-skunk"],"yoast_head":"\nSkunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus - Newsroom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/archived-news-releases\/2025-regional-news-releases\/skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies-virus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Skunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus - Newsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"April 17, 2025 Media Contact: Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager, Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts 757-508-0970 or peninsula.eh@vdh.virginia.gov Skunk Tests Positive for Rabies Virus JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. – A skunk found in the 3000 Block of Forge Road and Route 60 has tested positive for the rabies virus. 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