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Rabid fox attacks, bites woman; residents urged to have pets vaccinated
Carol Broeder & Denise Holley/Wick communications
Two foxes have tested positive for rabies in San Simon after an attack on a 77-year-old woman.
On Monday, Dec. 7, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office received a call about an animal bite victim at Northern Cochise Community Hospital in Willcox.
Animal Control Officers with the Sheriff's Office responded and spoke with the 77-year-old female victim in the emergency room.
The woman said she was walking down her road on West Hilltop Lane in San Simon to check the mail when a fox came from behind a cactus and bit her on the leg, Capas said.
Officers noted that the victim had two bite marks, one on her left knee and one on her right shin.
The woman said that the animal ran away after biting her. She also told officers that there was a fox in her front yard Sunday "that was not acting normal by not walking straight and had no concern that humans were close by," Capas said.
The fox was later found dead, and the woman put it in her vehicle. Officers retrieved the fox carcass and transported it to the USDA office for testing of the rabies virus.
On Tuesday, Dec. 8, the USDA lab in Phoenix informed the officers that the fox tested positive for a new strain of rabies, and that further tests would be conducted, she said.
The San Simon woman was notified, and will have to undergo the required rabies vaccinations, Capas said.
On Thursday, Dec. 10, a second fox tested positive for rabies in the same neighborhood.
Santa Cruz County has been under a 60-day rabies quarantine for this new strain of rabies since Wednesday, Dec. 2.
For more information contact Cochise County Health Department at (520) 432-9400, Cochise County Animal Control at (520) 432-9500, or the Arizona Department of Health Services at (602) 364-4562.
Additional information is also available at 7www.azdhs.gov.
Two foxes have tested positive for rabies in San Simon after an attack on a 77-year-old woman.
On Monday, Dec. 7, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office received a call about an animal bite victim at Northern Cochise Community Hospital in Willcox.
Animal Control Officers with the Sheriff's Office responded and spoke with the 77-year-old female victim in the emergency room.
The woman said she was walking down her road on West Hilltop Lane in San Simon to check the mail when a fox came from behind a cactus and bit her on the leg, Capas said.
Officers noted that the victim had two bite marks, one on her left knee and one on her right shin.
The woman said that the animal ran away after biting her. She also told officers that there was a fox in her front yard Sunday "that was not acting normal by not walking straight and had no concern that humans were close by," Capas said.
The fox was later found dead, and the woman put it in her vehicle. Officers retrieved the fox carcass and transported it to the USDA office for testing of the rabies virus.
On Tuesday, Dec. 8, the USDA lab in Phoenix informed the officers that the fox tested positive for a new strain of rabies, and that further tests would be conducted, she said.
The San Simon woman was notified, and will have to undergo the required rabies vaccinations, Capas said.
On Thursday, Dec. 10, a second fox tested positive for rabies in the same neighborhood.
Santa Cruz County has been under a 60-day rabies quarantine for this new strain of rabies since Wednesday, Dec. 2.
For more information contact Cochise County Health Department at (520) 432-9400, Cochise County Animal Control at (520) 432-9500, or the Arizona Department of Health Services at (602) 364-4562.
Additional information is also available at 7www.azdhs.gov.
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