rabies

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) has received several reports of potential and confirmed human and domestic animal exposures to rabid wildlife.

A recent confirmed exposure occurred near Jacob Lake southeast of Fredonia, Arizona. An individual and a dog encountered a bat that subsequently tested positive for rabies. The individual is receiving rabies prophylaxis treatment and the vaccinated dog has been placed in a 10-day at-home quarantine for observation.

Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) Officials are urging people to protect themselves against rabies. 

CCPHSD advises individuals to seek immediate medical attention if they are bitten or have had contact with an animal suspected to have rabies. Postexposure prophylaxis, a series of injections, may be recommended to prevent disease. Once symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in humans.

The Arizona Department of Health Services is alerting residents to a statewide rise in animal rabies cases and urging the community to follow prevention guidelines to stay safe from the disease. As of May 31, 2018 there have been 77 rabid animals reported compared with 54 at that time last year, with the majority of animals identified in rural counties in the state. Most rabid animals identified to date in 2018 have been skunks and foxes, with 25 rabid skunks and 31 positive foxes reported from January through May.  An increase in rabid bats is expected as the weather gets warmer. 

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is reminding residents to stay away from bats after two bats in the Valley tested positive for rabies in the past week.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) confirmed today that a second fox in west Flagstaff has tested positive for rabies. The fox was in an area south of I- 40, east of I-17 and north of Zuni Drive in Flagstaff.

The fox was found and tested for rabies after residents walking in the area reported the animal attacked one of them. The individual is receiving post exposure rabies prophylaxis treatment. 

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) confirmed today that a fox tested positive for rabies. The fox was found in a wooded area north of Interstate 40, west of Milton Road and south of University Ave. in west Flagstaff.

The fox was captured and tested after residents walking in the area reported the animal attacked their dog and bit them when they intervened. The individuals are receiving post exposure rabies prophylaxis treatment.

Coronado National Forest and the Arizona Game and Fish Department remind outdoor recreationists that the onset of summer means changed conditions across the Forest.

Officials note that as temperatures warm, vegetation is greening up and water is becoming scarce on the 16 “Sky Island” mountain ranges that compose the Coronado.  As a result, wildlife movements and patterns are altered, a change which requires renewed situational awareness by outdoor enthusiasts.

Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) officials are reminding individuals to take precautions to protect against rabies. Spring brings warmer weather and a rise in outdoor recreational activity, increasing the potential of exposure to wildlife.

CCPSHD urges people to follow the following precautions to protect from rabies: