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A “small number” of people in the downtown Vancouver area have received treatment after being bitten by a skunk that tested positive for rabies, officials say.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) said in a Wednesday advisory that the skunk was captured, and interactions with the animals are usually rare.
However, anyone who had contact with a “sick or abnormally behaving” skunk between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 is being asked to seek treatment.
The area covered by the advisory includes Stanley Park and a chunk of downtown Vancouver and the West End, bordered by Georgia and Burrard streets.
Officials say the rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and is usually transmitted through a bite, though it is less commonly transmitted through scratches.
Anyone who had contact with a sick skunk in the highlighted area of downtown Vancouver, which includes Stanley Park, is asked to seek treatment. (Vancouver Coastal Health)
“Rabies virus is not transmitted through exposure to the spray, urine or feces of infected skunks,” the advisory reads.
VCH says rabies is a serious infection that can affect the brain and nervous system, and they are extremely rare in Canada.
“Infections are fatal but can be prevented when rabies vaccines and/or rabies immunoglobulin are administered promptly after an exposure,” the advisory reads.
It adds that bats are the only known “reservoirs” of rabies in B.C., which means they spread it to another animals, and occasionally other animals like skunks in specific areas get the disease.
“If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, skunk or any wild animal, wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical care immediately,” the VCH advisory reads.
Any downtown Vancouver pet owners whose animal had direct contact with a skunk during the four weeks identified by authorities should contact their vet immediately, according to VCH.