The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection made a significant announcement on Wednesday. A coyote that had been causing trouble by hassling workers on forklifts and trucks at United Concrete in Wallingford on Tuesday morning managed to bite an employee as he got out of his vehicle to start work around 6:30 a.m. Although the injury was not life-threatening, the worker was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Aftermath and Testing

The coyote was promptly euthanized and submitted for rabies testing. The results came back positive, and the adult male victim, who sought treatment for the bite, was informed of the test results and has begun treatment for rabies exposure. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of being vigilant against wildlife carrying deadly diseases.

Wildlife Alert in Wallingford

Wallingford Animal Control sent out an alert to the public, urging them to be on the lookout for wildlife that might be carrying the rabies virus. It is crucial to ensure that pets are vaccinated as they can act as vectors if they come into contact with an infected animal. Rabies is spread through an infected animal's saliva via a bite or scratch, or if infected saliva comes into contact with the eyes, mouth, nostrils, or an open wound.

Rabies in New York Wildlife

While rabies is rare in humans, it is "endemic in New York wildlife," as stated by the state's Department of Health on its website. The main carriers of rabies are bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and skunks, according to the Mayo Clinic. Waiting for symptoms to appear after a potentially infectious encounter is too late. Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease nearly always causes death. For this reason, anyone who may have a risk of contracting rabies should receive rabies vaccinations for protection.