A skunk that bit a Sacramento Zoo visitor may have had rabies, leading officials to capture and euthanize multiple other skunks in the area.A release from Sacramento County said a skunk that was behaving aggressively bit the visitor on Oct. 15. Crews with the zoo captured and euthanized three nearby skunks in the Land Park area and submitted them to the Sacramento County Public Health Laboratories for rabies testing.”That’s a very unusual thing to happen. And in talking with the people, it looked like this was a very abnormal incident,” said Dr. Jenessa Gjeltema, lead veterinarian at the zoo. The county said two of the three captured skunks tested positive for rabies on Thursday. That same day, the zoo captured and euthanized a fourth skunk and sent it to the lab for testing.Elizabeth Zelidon, a spokesperson for the county, said it remains unknown if the skunk that bit the visitor was among the four skunks captured.Rabies, a severe infection of the nervous system, is taken seriously because if not treated promptly, it is almost always fatal for humans. Rabies can be contracted either from a bite from an animal with rabies, if saliva from an animal with rabies gets into a break in skin or in any openings such as the eyes, nose or mouth.”Once a person starts getting symptoms, we don’t have any treatment, it is almost always fatal. It’s very important that if somebody gets bitten, that they seek medical attention and get the appropriate care,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Public health officer for Sacramento county.According to the California Department of Public Health, rabies is found in about 200 mostly wild animals each year in the state. Rabies infections in humans are rare, with only 15 reported cases since 1980 in California.Zelidon said the person who was bitten is being treated and is doing well.If you have been bitten by an animal that may have rabies, the county urges wash your bites with soap and water, seek medical attention and to call 311 or 916-875-4311. The county is also urging visitors to avoid contact with wild animals and to report any animals behaving oddly to your local animal control.Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
A skunk that bit a Sacramento Zoo visitor may have had rabies, leading officials to capture and euthanize multiple other skunks in the area.
A release from Sacramento County said a skunk that was behaving aggressively bit the visitor on Oct. 15. Crews with the zoo captured and euthanized three nearby skunks in the Land Park area and submitted them to the Sacramento County Public Health Laboratories for rabies testing.
“That’s a very unusual thing to happen. And in talking with the people, it looked like this was a very abnormal incident,” said Dr. Jenessa Gjeltema, lead veterinarian at the zoo.
The county said two of the three captured skunks tested positive for rabies on Thursday. That same day, the zoo captured and euthanized a fourth skunk and sent it to the lab for testing.
Elizabeth Zelidon, a spokesperson for the county, said it remains unknown if the skunk that bit the visitor was among the four skunks captured.
Rabies, a severe infection of the nervous system, is taken seriously because if not treated promptly, it is almost always fatal for humans. Rabies can be contracted either from a bite from an animal with rabies, if saliva from an animal with rabies gets into a break in skin or in any openings such as the eyes, nose or mouth.
“Once a person starts getting symptoms, we don’t have any treatment, it is almost always fatal. It’s very important that if somebody gets bitten, that they seek medical attention and get the appropriate care,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Public health officer for Sacramento county.
According to the California Department of Public Health, rabies is found in about 200 mostly wild animals each year in the state. Rabies infections in humans are rare, with only 15 reported cases since 1980 in California.
Zelidon said the person who was bitten is being treated and is doing well.
If you have been bitten by an animal that may have rabies, the county urges wash your bites with soap and water, seek medical attention and to call 311 or 916-875-4311. The county is also urging visitors to avoid contact with wild animals and to report any animals behaving oddly to your local animal control.
Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
