Confirmed: Second rabid fox found in CJ vicinity
From our weekly issue dated March 03, 2010
Josephine County Public Health (JCPH) has confirmed that a second fox tested positive for rabies in the Cave Junction area in February.
The first was confirmed positive in January. Both foxes were found dead.
Officials want residents to be aware of the rare risk of rabies from foxes or other wildlife.
A more common disease with similar clinical and behavioral signs in foxes, raccoons and skunks is canine distemper. It is only infectious to animals in the canine and weasel families, according to JCPH.
The fox that died in January was confirmed to have been infected with a bat strain of rabies. Foxes, coyotes, raccoons, or skunks may also come into contact with domestic animals and put them at risk for contracting diseases like rabies, canine distemper, or an untimely death because they may become prey.
Health officials ask the public to leave wildlife alone in their natural habitats and to report any sick or dead wild animals to the nearest office of Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife.
In Oregon, the last fox that tested positive for rabies was 10 years ago in Josephine County.
Jackson, Curry and Coos counties also have had cases of foxes testing positive for rabies. Of the 72 sick foxes submitted for testing after showing clinical signs for rabies or distemper from 1990 to 2009, 26 percent (19 out of 72) have had confirmed rabies.
Of the bats that were submitted sick or dead and tested from all parts of Oregon during the same period, 9.9 percent (160 out of 1,631) have had confirmed rabies.
For more information on rabies go to oregon.gov and search rabies, or phone JCPH in Grants Pass at 541-474-5325; ODFW Health Lab at 866-968-2600; or the Oregon Dept. of Human Services at 971-673-1111.
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