United States authorities have ordered the euthanization of a wild fox who roamed the area surrounding Capitol Hill after multiple attacks, including an American official and later testing positive for rabies.
The wild animal reportedly attacked a total of nine people around the area before it was caught and tested. The city's health agency said that the D.C. Public Health Lab confirmed the fox was tested for rabies the day after it was caught. The agency also advised any person who may have come into contact with the animal or its offspring to reach out to authorities.
Wild Capitol Fox
Earlier in the day, Washington officials said that the fox was euthanized so that it could be safely tested for rabies. The situation elicited an outpouring of sorrow for an animal that had somehow become a mascot in the days that it remained near the Capitol.
However, with the coronavirus pandemic, some are wondering if the animal was carrying the infection and who could have been exposed. A California Democrat, Rep. Ami Bera, who was reportedly bitten by a fox near the Capitol on Monday, was treated immediately after the incident. He said that he felt "healthy" and was feeling well enough to go back to work, as per the New York Times.
Health officials also said that they were contacting all human victims of the animals so they could be monitored. On the other hand, the creatures' kits, which is what baby foxes are called, were later found and "captured" on Wednesday morning.
But officials did not disclose where the kits were being kept or whether they would also suffer the same fate as their mother. In an email, city health authorities said that they were working to determine the next steps regarding the fox kits' fates.
According to the Washington Post, a fox has to be euthanized for experts to determine whether or not it has rabies. Scientists require samples from the animal's brain tissue which are then tested in a laboratory. Around 120,000 animals per year in the U.S. are tested for rabies and roughly 6% are found to be rabid.
Caution for Rabies
Bera described the moment that the wild fox "nipped" his leg on Monday, saying he felt something "lunge" at the back of his leg. At first, the congressman thought it was a small dog or some other domesticated animal.
He said that he was startled by the incident and was surprised when he saw that the creature that bit him was a fox and not a dog. The official noted that people who were around him suddenly began saying, "Hey, there's a fox attacking that guy."
A spokesperson for the official's office said that the wild fox pierced Bera's suit but it was not immediately known if it was able to pierce his skin. Out of an abundance of caution, the congressman went to Walter Reed Hospital on Monday to get appropriate shots.
The spokesperson said that Rep. Bera urged everyone to be vigilant around wild animals to consult their physician if they ever get bitten, NBC Washington reported.
Related Article:
Biden Signs US Postal Service Reform Bill Into Law, Authorizing Modernization of Agency's Operations
