Coyote that bit hiker tests positive for rabies

A hiker is undergoing treatment, but was reportedly not hospitalized, after a bite from a rabid coyote in the Gila National Forest near Silver City.

The New Mexico Department of Health did not identify the individual, in order to protect their privacy and personal health information, nor provide a date for the incident.

The state Department of Game and Fish did not have any data dating the incident or capture of the animal; but the health department confirmed the animal had tested positive for rabies, indicating it was captured and presumably euthanized, as there are no approved methods of testing an animal for rabies prior to death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State veterinarian Dr. Erin Phipps told the Journal the coyote approached the hiker without prior interaction and immediately bit the individual.

Phipps then advocated for pet owners to get their pets vaccinated against rabies, a viral disease spread mainly through bites and scratches by infected animals. Infections are generally fatal unless treatment begins before symptoms begin, the CDC states on its website.

The High Desert Humane Society planned a vaccination clinic for Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 3050 S. Cougar Way, Silver City. An annual rabies vaccination cost $10, the Society said, and clinics are held frequently on the second Saturday of each month.

The health department recommended keeping pets current on rabies vaccinations and affixing license tags on their collars. Vaccination is also recommended for horses even if they remain on one’s property.

If a pet is scratched or bitten by a wild animal, DOH advises scheduling a rabies booster with a veterinarian even if the wound appears to be minor.

The agency’s guidance for a person bitten by an animal is to wash the bite area at once with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.

Any exposure to rabies or bite should be reported to local animal control as well as the DOH through its helpline, 833-796-8773.