For the first time in ten years, a case of rabies has been detected in a raccoon in the province. Quebec is therefore asking residents of municipalities bordering the state of Vermont to be extra vigilant and to report suspicious animals.
Posted at 2:02 p.m.
“Rabies is a contagious and fatal disease that can affect all mammals, which means that it can be transmitted from an infected animal to humans,” warned the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Changes Climate, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) in a press release released Monday afternoon.
The infected animal was found dead in Saint-Armand in Estrie on December 17, a little over a kilometer from the village of Highgate, Vermont, near the Canadian border. Over the past year, several cases of raccoon rabies have been reported in northern Vermont.
“The government of Quebec continues its close collaboration with the American authorities in order to optimize control and surveillance efforts on both sides of the border. Vaccination interventions for raccoons, skunks and foxes are planned for 2025,” underlined the MELCCFP.
What to do?
The public is invited to report dead, disoriented, paralyzed or abnormally aggressive foxes, skunks and raccoons by calling 1-877-346-6763 or by filling out a form on the department’s website.
Residents of the following 17 municipalities are called upon to be extra careful: Bedford, Dunham, Frelighsburg, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, Pike River, Saint-Armand, Sainte-Sabine, Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge, Stanbridge East, Stanbridge Station, Clarenceville, Henryville, Noyan, Saint-Alexandre, Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Saint-Sébastien and Venise-en-Québec.
“If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or have come into contact with its saliva, clean the wound (even if it appears minor) with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, then communicate quickly with Info-Santé 811 in order to obtain adequate medical follow-up,” advised the ministry.
