Officials are reminding people to take precautions around animals after a recent confirmed case of rabies in Waterville.

On Tuesday, the Waterville Police Department shared on social media a letter from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention saying a gray fox in the city recently tested positive for the viral disease.

The fox was found at the Quarry Road Trails, a year-round recreational area, police said.

State officials also warned in recent weeks that bats, a common carrier of rabies, are most active in Maine from the middle of the summer through early September. The Maine CDC, in an advisory similar to those the agency issued in previous years, recommended taking steps to prevent rabies exposure by limiting contact with bats.

So far this year, 21 animals in Maine tested positive for rabies in 12 counties, Maine CDC data shows. Fourteen raccoons, three foxes, three skunks and one bat account for the cases. Cumberland, Somerset, Waldo and York counties have each had three confirmed cases this year; Kennebec County has had two.

In the last 20 years, Maine has had anywhere from 28 to 127 rabies cases a year, according to Maine CDC data. In the last decade, the state has generally had about 60 or 70 cases annually — although in 2019, there were 89, and in 2022, there were only 35.

Here’s what to know about rabies:

What is rabies?

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that affects the brain and spinal cord, according to the Maine CDC. It is common in animals, especially wildlife, although it is very rare in humans in the United States.

The rabies virus lives in the saliva, brain and spinal cord of infected animals, the Maine CDC says. It spreads commonly through animal bites and scratches. It can also spread if an animal’s saliva or neural tissue contacts the mouth, nose or eyes of a person or animal, or if it enters a cut in the skin. The virus does not spread by simply petting animals or touching dried bodily fluids of an infected animal.

How common is rabies in Maine?

The number of confirmed cases varies each year — and 2025, so far, is tracking to be a below-average year, the state data shows.

Skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes are the animals most commonly infected, the Maine CDC says. Rabies can infect any animal that has hair, but is very rare among small rodents like squirrels, rats, mice and chipmunks.

The Maine CDC offers data on its website, tracking cases by year, county, municipality and animal.

What are rabies symptoms and is it dangerous?

Untreated, rabies is typically fatal in humans. But treatment for potential exposure is effective in preventing illness.

“Rabies is a medical urgency but not an emergency,” the Maine CDC says.

In humans, symptoms include fever, headache and fatigue, according to a Maine CDC fact sheet. Animals may have altered behavior, but public health officials say you cannot tell by looking at an animal whether it is infected.

Treatment in humans is called rabies post-exposure prophylaxis and includes several injections over several weeks.

Maine last reported a human rabies case in 1937, according to the Maine CDC.

What steps can I take to prevent exposure to rabies?

The Maine CDC recommends making sure pets are vaccinated, avoiding contact with wild animals and animals you do not know, including sick or injured animals, fastening trash can lids and keeping pet food inside to keep animals away and talking to an exterminator about “bat-proofing” your home.

What should I do if I think my pet or I was exposed to rabies?

First, you should clean the wounds with soap and water, public health officials say.

Then, contact your doctor or a veterinarian. You can also call the Maine CDC disease reporting and consultation line, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 800-821-5821.

If the attacking animal is domestic, call your local animal control officer. If the attacking animal is wild, call the Maine Warden Service via its dispatch centers.