The Essex County Health Department is reporting its fifth case of rabies so far this year. On Tuesday, the health department reported that a raccoon found at the Moriah Country Club in Port Henry tested positive for rabies. The animal was initially found dead near a path on the course last Friday. The specimen raccoon was submitted to Wadsworth Laboratory on Monday by Adirondack Veterinary Hospital. Staff from the veterinary office say there were porcupine quills embedded in the raccoon’s face. “In this instance, we do not have a complete picture regarding potential human exposures to the raccoon,” Jessica Darney Buehler, Director of Health Promotion and Planning at the Essex County Health Department, said. “Because the animal was found at a location frequented by lots of members of the public and because the animal was moved from its initial location to a trash receptable, we are asking that anyone who potentially came in contact with the animal to reach out to our department as soon as possible to discuss exposure risks,” Buehler said. The Essex County Health Department notified the Moriah Town Supervisor and the Moriah Country Club. The president of the country club also says crews are currently monitoring the grounds. The health department recommends residents avoid interactions with wildlife and call the town offices if they encounter a suspicious animal. This is the fifth animal to test positive for rabies in Essex County so far in 2024. Two skunks in Westport, one woodchuck in Port Henry and one other raccoon in New Russia have tested positive for the virus. Four other recent submissions, including three from the Moriah area (a raccoon, a gray fox, and a woodchuck) and one from Westport (a bat), have tested negative for rabies.The 2024 Rabies Clinic Schedule is available here.