- Two rabid beavers attacked visitors at a Maryland state park in less than two weeks, prompting officials to shut down access to the water while they search for other infected animals.
- A 13-year-old boy was attacked while swimming at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County on July 26, suffering injuries to his hands and chest. He was airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment.
- A second beaver bit a 19-year-old man who was fishing from the shoreline. He drove himself to Meritus Medical Center, where he was treated for rabies exposure and given a tetanus shot.
- Wildlife officials later located and euthanized both beavers, which tested positive for rabies.
- The park has since closed all water access, including swimming, fishing and boating.
- David Luckenbaugh, director of the Frederick County Division of Animal Control, called the animals a “human health emergency” in comments to The Washington Post.
- Rabies is fatal without prompt treatment, though infections in beavers are considered extremely rare. Infectious diseases physician Edward Rensimer said treatment, when administered in time, is “a virtually 100 percent effective strategy.”
- Last year, 38 animals tested positive for rabies in Frederick County, but none were beavers.
Two rabid beavers attacked visitors at Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland, leading to a closure of water access as officials search for other infected animals. A 13-year-old boy was injured while swimming on July 26, requiring airlift to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment.12
On Wednesday, a 19-year-old man was bitten while fishing and treated for rabies exposure at Meritus Medical Center. David Luckenbaugh, director of the Frederick County Division of Animal Control, described the situation as a “human health emergency” to The Washington Post.3678
Both beavers were later euthanized and tested positive for rabies, a disease that is fatal without prompt treatment. Edward Rensimer, an infectious diseases physician, noted that treatment is “a virtually 100 percent effective strategy” when administered in time. The park has since closed all water access, including swimming, fishing, and boating, to ensure public safety.5
Last year, Frederick County reported 38 animals testing positive for rabies, but none were beavers, making this incident particularly alarming.9
“The first victim, a 13-year-old boy, was airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital after being bitten on July 26; the second, a 19-year-old fisherman, drove himself to Meritus Medical Center. Both beavers tested positive for rabies and were euthanized, and officials call the situation a "human health emergency."”
The Daily Beast
