BATH, Maine — After several years without a rabies case in Bath, two animals have been found to have the deadly virus within the last few weeks.
On Monday, Bath police responded to an area near Route 1 after receiving calls about a fox that was acting strange and weaving in and out of traffic.
Police chief Andrew Booth said his officers were able to contain the animal by using a catch pole.
“[They] were able to capture it, and it was exhibiting signs that it was likely sick and potentially rabid,” Booth said.
On Wednesday, the positive rabies test came back, marking the second such case this summer in that one neighborhood.
In late June, police say a rabid fox attacked a man’s boot. Bath’s animal control officer, James McKnight, believes the two diseased animals were in the same family, but hopes the typical behavior of the species will prevent further spread.
“They’re a territorial animal, so hopefully other groups of foxes aren’t going to mingle with them,” McKnight explained.
This week’s rabid fox case in Bath brings the number of rabies cases in the state up to 29 so far this year, according to the Maine CDC. While it is exceedingly rare for humans to contract the virus—the last known case in the state was in the 1930s—the agency is recommending strategies for preventing contact with rabid animals.
“Talk to your veterinarian about rabies vaccines for all your furry friends that you have in your life,” Megan Porter, a public health educator at the Maine CDC, said Thursday.
For humans, Porter said the vaccines available both before and after contact with rabid animals are highly effective, though the shot after contact must be taken before symptoms set in.
Porter also recommends covering garbage and making sure food is not left out.
As local authorities continue monitoring the situation, McKnight urges calm.
“Any time you have a public safety issue like this it’s a worry, but in the grand scheme of things I don’t think it's that drastic," the animal control officer said. "It's nothing to cause a panic about."
