A skunk tested positive for rabies in Arvada and health officials urged the public to take precautions as an unusually warm winter encourages animals to leave their dens.
The animal, found in the Oak Crest neighborhood near West 80th Avenue and Simms Street, is the first confirmed rabies case in Colorado this year, according to Jefferson County Public Health.
In warmer weather, both wild and domestic animals spend more time outdoors, as do people, said Rachel Reichardt, environmental health specialist and zoonosis lead at the health department. When contact between animals increased, the odds that the virus could spread to people rise, she said.
Rabies spreads through saliva. People should avoid touching any wild or stray animals, especially if they are behaving strangely, and should monitor children and pets to avoid bites and scratches.
Humans exposed to rabies receive a series of shots to prevent infection. Pets and livestock that previously had the rabies vaccine get a booster dose, while animals that weren’t vaccinated at the time of exposure have to be euthanized unless a specialized facility is available for a months-long quarantine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The death rate for people and animals infected with rabies exceeds 99%.
Rabies typically spreads most in the summer, but winter cases happen. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has recorded 38 winter cases over the last five years, with the vast majority found in skunks.
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