Wild rabid fox bites U.S. congressman on Capitol Hill
A female fox bit at least 9 people in Washington, D.C., before she was captured and euthanized
A wild fox chase ensued on Capitol Hill earlier this week after the rabid animal bit nine people in Washington, D.C.
"Over on the Senate side … I felt something lunge at the back of my left calf and I thought it was going to be a small dog. And fortunately, I had my umbrella with me, spun around and [was] like, that's not a dog. That's a fox," Democratic Congressman Ami Bera, who was bit by the fox on Monday, told As It Happens guest host Dave Seglins.
"It was crouched down, looking at me. I was looking at it," he recalled.
"I kept it at bay and then someone saw what was happening and they yelled…. The Capitol police started to come out and then the fox ran off."
Animal control officers captured and euthanized the female fox on Wednesday. The DC Public Health Lab confirmed that the vixen tested positive for rabies in a statement to the New York Times.
Bera, who is also a physician, didn't see any blood when he examined his leg, which would have indicated whether the fox bit down hard enough to penetrate his skin. He sought a second opinion from the Capitol's attending physician, who found a row of holes in his trousers that lined up with some scrapes on his calf.
"They call Walter Reed Hospital, talk to the infectious disease doctor over there and they say, 'Absolutely. You don't take any chances with rabies. So he needs to come in and get looked at,'" the representative for California's 7th congressional district said.
Thanks everyone for the well wishes! I feel healthy and am glad to be back at work.<br><br>Despite the dustup, I hold no grudge or ill will against <a href="https://twitter.com/thecapitolfox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thecapitolfox</a>. Hoping the 🦊 and its family are safely relocated and wishing it a happy and prosperous future. <a href="https://t.co/ys9aifa2MN">https://t.co/ys9aifa2MN</a>
—@RepBeraWhat happened next was "no fun" for the congressman: he received five shots of immune globulin, the antibodies that help fight off any rabies exposure. He took two of those shots in his ankle, one in the left thigh and one in each of his buttocks.
He also got a tetanus shot in his left arm and the first dose of the rabies vaccine in his right arm. The congressman expects to get the rest of the rabies vaccine in a series of three shots later this month.
As far as Bera is aware, none of the fox's eight other victims have reported symptoms of rabies. But health officials told NPR News that the three baby foxes found at her den also had to be put down.
To Congressman Bera, it was "unfortunate" that the fox and her kits were euthanized.
"Normally I understand foxes … they do come into cities to birth their litter and protect their den, but they're usually very avoidal of confrontation. This fox clearly was running around and acting in a peculiar way," he said.
"I thought my legacy would be the policy that I passed but, you know what, it might be the congressman that got bit by the fox."
Written by Mehek Mazhar. Interview with Ami Bera produced by Kate Swoger.
