The skunk that bit a visitor at the Sacramento Zoo may have been infected with rabies, and authorities have captured and euthanized several other skunks in the area. A skunk acting aggressively bit a visitor on Oct. 15, according to a statement from Sacramento County. The county captured three nearby skunks in the Rand Park area, euthanized them, and submitted them to the Sacramento County Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing. The county announced that two of the three skunks captured Thursday tested positive for rabies. That same day, the zoo captured a fourth skunk, euthanized it, and sent it to a lab for testing. County spokeswoman Elizabeth Zelidon said it remains unclear whether the skunk that bit the visitor was among the four captured. It is taken seriously because it is a severe infection of the nervous system and is almost always fatal to humans if not treated promptly. Rabies can be transmitted by being bitten by a rabid animal or by getting saliva from a rabid animal into a break in the skin or an opening such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. According to the California Department of Public Health, rabies is detected in about 200 animals, mostly wild animals, in the state each year. Human rabies infection is rare, with only 15 cases reported in California since 1980. Zeridon said the person who was bitten was receiving treatment and is doing well. If you’ve been bitten by an animal that may have rabies, the county is asking people to wash their hands. If bitten, wash with soap and water, seek medical attention, and call 311 or 916-875-4311. The county also urges visitors to avoid contact with wild animals and to report any strange animal behavior to local animal control. Do you have photos or videos of the incident? If so, please upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Please be sure to include your name and additional information so that we can give proper credit online and on TV. See more of California’s top stories here. Download the app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
The skunk that bit a visitor at the Sacramento Zoo may have been infected with rabies, and authorities have captured and euthanized several other skunks in the area.
A skunk acting aggressively bit a visitor on Oct. 15, according to a statement from Sacramento County. Zoo crews captured three nearby skunks in the Rand Park area, euthanized them, and submitted them to the Sacramento County Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing.
The county announced Thursday that two of the three captured skunks tested positive for rabies. The same day, the zoo captured a fourth skunk, euthanized it, and sent it to a lab for testing.
County spokeswoman Elizabeth Zelidon said it was not yet known whether the skunk that bit the visitor was among the four skunks captured.
Rabies, a serious infection of the nervous system, is taken seriously because it is almost always fatal to humans if not treated promptly. Rabies can be transmitted when a person is bitten by an infected animal or when saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with a cut in the skin or an opening such as the eyes, nose, or mouth.
According to the California Department of Public Health,Rabies is detected in about 200 animals, mostly wild animals, each year in the state. Rabies infections in humans are rare, with only 15 cases reported in California since 1980.
Zeridon said the person who was bitten was receiving treatment and is doing well.
If you are bitten by a potentially rabid animal, the county urges you to wash the bite area with soap and water, seek medical attention and call 311 or 916-875-4311. The county is also asking visitors to avoid contact with wild animals and to report any strange animal behavior to local animal control.
Do you have any photos or videos of the incident? If so, please upload them here KCRA.com/upload. Please be sure to include your name and additional information so that we can provide proper credit online and on TV.
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