From January through April more than twelve red foxes from the Nome region have been spotted with signs of rabies, and were confirmed positive for the virus.
Based on Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife veterinarian Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, during the typical winter, there are generally just two or three positive rabies cases in the Nome region.
“There’s sixteen total red foxes when you include Nome and the area around it and there was one within Unalakleet, Shishmaref and we identified one as well as Brevig Mission,” Beckmen stated.
The patient of Brevig Mission was diagnosed on the 26th of April, on a Wednesday.
Results from the preliminary 2023 test already show a difference from the results taken two years earlier. Of the 11 foxes who were discovered to be dead, or even killed at Nome by dogs or due to their appearance to be rabid, they all tested positive for the virus.
Of the 61 red foxes that were counted within and in and around Nome between March and February 2023, more than one-quarter of them were positive. This is a significant increase from the 17 percent of positive foxes in the same timeframe in 2021.
Norton Sound Health Corporation, the City of Nome, the Office of the State Veterinarian as well as the National Park Service assisted in the study.
This year this year, the Centers for Disease Control donated Bionote tests for rabies for the State. Beckmen explained that, with these tests, officials can determine within minutes whether rabies is present in the fox brain tissue instead of the hours that were previously required.
“If the test is positive we’ll get the result immediately and ensure that the animal or the person who was harmed is informed immediately,” Beckmen said. “They receive the proper treatments as well as booster treatments.”
If someone suspects they’ve received rabies they should immediately seek medical assistance.
Beckmen claimed that dog-to human infection caused through the rabies virusfollowing a dog having met a rabid animal -is a matter of serious concern.
“We have had instances this winter when an opossum was able to attack a person,” Beckmen said. “Most times people are aware that this isn’t something to be concerned about and seek medical attention. (But) should the dog is injured by a fox, or gets into a fight with a fox and no one is aware of it, and the dog is rabid and bites someone and is a risky incident, which is why the person does not receive treatment.”
According to the health organization there have been no cases of rabies on humans have been identified in the month of January.
Beckmen stated that if people in the Western Alaska region observe a fox that is acting fearfully or aggressively or trembling, or suffering seizures, or aggressively biting something inanimate, their best recommendation is to calm it down.
“If they spot an animal like this, they must kill the animal and then submit them for a report to Fish & Game,” Beckmen stated.
Alicia Reitz, with Norton Sound Health Corporation who is with Norton Sound Health Corporation, states that cats and dogs who live in the area can be vaccines at no cost.
“We have a person in nearly every village who is able to vaccinate for rabies. It’s absolutely free,” Reitz said. “We have vaccine providers in Nome who we’ve learned from Norton Sound Environmental Health.”
Reitz said that ensuring that dog food and waste is kept away from foxes can help reduce their presence in villages and towns. Making sure your pet is secured or supervised and are not allowed to engage with potentially aggressive Foxes is a further important aspect.
Rabies vaccinations for pets are available at no cost. In Nome Contact Nome Animal House at (907) 443-2490 or Nome Animal House by calling (907) 443-2490, or Rural Alaska Animal Resources (907-443-5697) to get your pet vaccinated. Outside of Nome you can contact the Nome’s Office of Environmental Health at (907) 443-9767 to find out the dates when vaccinations are available in your area.
