Interior Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control are urging Kootenay Lake area residents to avoid skunks and seek assessment after any bite or scratch since Aug. 15.
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Interior Health (IH) and the BC Centre for Disease Control have confirmed a rabies-positive skunk in the Kootenay Lake region, prompting a public health warning for people who may have had contact with the animal.
The agencies said the skunk was believed to have been infectious between Aug. 15 and Sept. 4. That window is central to the guidance, because people are being asked to come forward for assessment if a bite or scratch occurred during that period.
IH said it has assessed and treated a small number of individuals who may have been exposed in the Kootenay Lake region. Health officials are now requesting that anyone who had contact with a skunk in the geographic area reach out for follow-up.
People who were bitten or scratched by a skunk are being told to immediately contact their local public health office, visit a primary care provider, or go to an emergency department. The warning specifies that this is especially important if the contact happened after Aug. 15.
For households with pets, IH advised that any pet that was bitten or scratched by a skunk should be seen by a veterinarian. The guidance reflects the fact that rabies is spread through bites and scratches involving an infected animal.
Health officials reiterated that rabies is a serious viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system. The disease can be spread when a person or animal is bitten or scratched by an infected animal.
The release stressed that rabies virus is not transmitted through exposure to spray, urine, or feces from infected skunks in B.C. Officials also pointed to bats as the only known reservoirs of rabies, explaining that bats can carry the disease without showing signs, and that occasional spillovers to other animal species have occurred in B.C.
While the agencies emphasized that rabies infections in people are extremely rare in B.C. and Canada, they noted that infections are usually fatal. They also said rabies can be prevented when vaccines are administered promptly after an exposure.
For residents who encounter wildlife, IH said anyone who sees a skunk or wild animal acting abnormally should call the BC RAPP line at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277). Officials noted that an infected animal may appear disoriented or sick, may be active during unusual times of day, may show no fear of people, and may be unusually aggressive.
The agencies also reminded the public that prompt action after a bite or scratch matters, and that people can consult the BC Centre for Disease Control for information on what to do after exposures involving bats or skunks. The current alert applies specifically to the Kootenay Lake region and to potential contact during the Aug. 15 to Sept. 4 period.
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