Oak Creek Canyon Hikers Warned After Rabid Fox Attack

Gray fox [Photo from Bureau of Reclamation]

The Coconino County Public Health Services District was recently contacted regarding an individual in the Oak Creek Canyon area, near Sedona, who was attacked by a rabid fox.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) Animal Management responded and sent the fox to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) State Laboratory where it tested positive for rabies.

According to the Arizona Daily Sun, “Randy Phillips, division manager for the Coconino County Public Health Services District, said the person fended off four or five attacks by the animal before being bitten. The person then managed to subdue the fox until animal control officers with the health district could dispatch it and send it to a state laboratory for testing.”

The individual who was exposed is receiving post exposure rabies prophylaxis treatment. CCPHSD is providing signage for area trails, and notifying local businesses in the area.

Rabies is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord of animals and humans. It is caused by a virus present in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to humans through contact with the live virus.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District recommends taking precautions to protect yourself and your pets from rabies. Keep all pets current on vaccinations and obey leash laws. Do not let pets roam freely. Avoid wildlife, especially those exhibiting unusual behaviors which can include; showing no fear of humans, aggressive behavior, staggering and/or acting sickly, and nocturnal mammals active during daytime.

Related article: Gray Fox Rabies Activity Has Quadrupled In Several Arizona Counties

According to data released by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), rabies activity in Arizona’s gray fox populations has quadrupled in the last year. According ADHS, there were over 20 rabid foxes reported in 2017, compared with 6 rabid foxes reported statewide in 2016.

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