This news item expired on Sunday, June 30, 2013 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Buncombe County health officials are seeking the public’s help in locating individuals who may have been exposed to a potentially rabid fox.
An injured juvenile fox was found by a motorist at the intersection of Sardis Road and Sand Hill Road on Monday June 3. It was taken from the site and transported to an unknown location. In that time, at least four people came in contact with the animal, including a child. To date, we have not been able to identify or locate two of those individuals, including the child.
Though no bites were reported, contact with a wild fox still presents a risk of exposure to rabies, especially given that a fox from the same area recently tested positive for rabies. Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. When contracted by humans, rabies is fatal unless early treatment is sought. There is no cure once symptoms develop, so immediate treatment is important to prevent the disease.
Anyone with information as to the location of the fox, the identity of the person who is/was in possession of the animal or the identity of anyone who may have been exposed to this fox is urgently requested to contact Buncombe County Department of Health at 250-5109.
For more information call: (828) 775-1321