A fox that bit at least nine people, including a US lawmaker, near the US Capitol earlier this week tested positive for rabies after being euthanized, Washington, DC, health authorities said.
Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat from California, told reporters Tuesday that he was the victim of an unprovoked attack by a fox while taking a walk the day before.
He said that he felt something lunge at the back of his leg.
Capitol Police said on Tuesday that they had captured a fox after an extensive search.
The DC Department of Health said on Wednesday that there were at least nine confirmed bites by the fox over the past few days, and that it was euthanized so it could be tested for the disease.
The DC Public Health lab confirmed that the fox that was captured yesterday was positive for the disease. The DC Health department said in an email that they were contacting all the people who were bitten by the fox.
Bera told reporters on Tuesday that he wasn't sure if the fox's teeth had broken his skin, but that he later recieved several doses of immunoglobulin, tetanus shot, and the first dose of the rabies vaccine at a hospital in the city.
DC Health warns city dwellers of the dangers of urban foxes.
Wild animals in the District of Columbia have adapted to life in close quarters with humans. It said that they may not be as scared of people as animals.
Even though they are accustomed to humans, wild animals can carry diseases and should be avoided.
When a CNN reporter was attacked by a raccoon outside the White House in October 2020, the attack sparked comparisons to the fox attack on Monday.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
