Two are treated for rabies in Ennice

A skunk in the Ennice area tested positive for rabies in April after the animal was in close proximity to two people.

Danny Staley, director of the Appalachian District Health Department, said Monday that the skunk tested positive for rabies at the state laboratory after the incident.

Staley said the health department conducted an investigation into the incident and two people were treated for potential exposure. Due to medical privacy laws, their names were not made public.

The skunk that later tested positive for rabies was attacking a small goat when it was killed by a person attempting to protect the livestock. Another person potentially was exposed to saliva while moving the injured goat.

Rabies is often present in rural areas, but goes largely undetected, Staley said. Animals that contract the disease typically die quickly and may not ever come in contact with humans prior to expiring, especially in sparsely populated parts of the county.

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