Rabid raccoon attacks 3 people in Northwest DC

A rabid raccoon ran rampant in Northwest D.C. on Monday morning, attacking three people and two pets who now require preventive treatment for the dangerous viral infection. D.C. Health officials said the raccoon had been sighted in the vicinity of 32nd Street and Nebraska Avenue NW, following the attacks which took place across D.C.’s Chevy Chase neighborhood. Animal control officers captured the animal around 2 p.m. on Monday. It was promptly euthanized, D.C. Health said in a news release. Lab testing later confirmed the animal had indeed been host to the rabies virus. Though notorious for its high mortality rate in late stages, rabies can be treated effectively if caught before neurological symptoms appear. Three people exposed to the raccoon immediately started preventive treatment, and two pets were given a booster vaccine and placed under confinement...MORE