Another fox tests positive for rabies in Bath
Authorities believe the case is linked to another incident that occurred last month.
Updated: 9:50 a.m. ET July 18, 2024
For the second time in less than a month, a Bath fox has tested positive for rabies. Police were called to the area of Leeman Highway near Leonard Court around 6 a.m. on Monday, July 15, after receiving reports of a young fox acting sick, wandering into the Big Apple store and weaving in and out of traffic. Officers found the fox near Cottage Street, determined it was potentially rabid, and euthanized it. On Wednesday, the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the city that the fox had tested positive for rabies. In late June, another fox in the same general area also tested positive for rabies. In that case, the fox attacked a man along Western Avenue on June 28. The man kicked the animal, and police found the animal and killed it. Authorities say they suspect the cases are related, but they have not confirmed it. Before June, the last confirmed rabies case was in January 2020, also involving a fox. In 2019, Bath had more rabies cases than any other community in Maine. In 2023, there were 66 total confirmed rabies cases in Maine, more than half of which involved raccoons. If you think you’ve been attacked by a rabid animal, call 911. If you see an animal acting strangely and you think it may be rabid, contact the police.
For the second time in less than a month, a fox in Bath has tested positive for rabies.
Police were called to the area of Leeman Highway near Leonard Court at around 6am on Monday, July 15, after reports of a young fox acting as if it was sick, wandering around the Big Apple store and walking in and out of traffic.
Officers found the fox near Cottage Street, determined it was potentially rabid and euthanized it.
On Wednesday, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention informed the town that the fox had tested positive for rabies.
In late June, another fox in the same area also tested positive for rabies. On June 28, the fox attacked a man along Western Avenue. The man kicked the animal, and police found and killed it.
Authorities suspect the two cases are linked, but have not confirmed it.
Before June, the last confirmed case of rabies was in January 2020, also involving a fox.
In 2019, Bath recorded more rabies cases than any other community in Maine.
In 2023, there were 66 total confirmed cases of rabies in Maine, more than half of which involved raccoons.
If you think you have been attacked by a rabid animal, call 911. If you see an animal acting strangely and you think it is rabid, contact the police.
News Source : www.wmtw.com
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