Possibly rabid raccoon bites 2 people in Westfield

Two people were bitten by a possibly rabid raccoon in Westfield, health officials said.

The raccoon attacked the people in the 400 block of First Avenue and in the 700 block of Scotch Plains Avenue, officials in the Union County township said.

Local officials did not immediately provide any additional information about the incidents or when they happened.

The attacks were announced on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon. A health officer did not immediately return a phone call seeking more information.

“The raccoon may be infected with rabies,” the announcement from local health officials said.

Residents in the area should remain alert for any raccoons exhibiting suspicious behavior, the statement said. Anyone who sees a suspicious raccoon in the area should call 908-789-4000.

Anyone who believes they or their pets had contact with a raccoon in the area should seek medical attention immediately, health officials said.

Rabies is transmitted through any open wound, usually a bite from an infected animal, according to the Mayo Clinic. The disease is usually always fatal once someone shows rabies symptoms, which are similar to the flu. But symptoms can be prevented with a post-exposure vaccine.

Fewer than ten people die in the United States from rabies annually, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows.

Animals that are infected usually show strange behaviors, including looking disoriented or confused, having trouble walking, aggression, or being awake during the day if they’re usually nocturnal.