Cities

Rabid skunk bites people in downtown Vancouver, health officials urge treatment

Health officials say a small number of people have received rabies vaccinations after being bitten by the infected animal.

By Erin Kowalski, Editor-in-Chief
October 23, 2026

VANCOUVER · Health officials in Vancouver have confirmed a skunk that bit several people in the downtown area has tested positive for rabies. Vancouver Coastal Health issued the public notice on Wednesday, stating a small number of people bitten by the animal have already been assessed and received preventative treatment. The health authority is urging anyone who had contact with a sick or abnormally behaving skunk between September 22 and October 17 to seek an assessment. The advisory zone covers Stanley Park and parts of downtown Vancouver and the West End, bounded by Georgia and Burrard streets.

A local resident, Guerric Haché, described encountering the lethargic and confused skunk last Saturday near Comox and Bute streets. "I just started talking to the skunk because I'm an animal person. I like to do that," Haché said. He said the animal walked onto the sidewalk and bit his leg and then his shoe. Haché and his partner captured the skunk and called an animal rescue charity to take it away. He later learned the animal had a broken jaw, was euthanized, and tested positive for rabies.

"There's only been three reported cases of rabies in skunks [in B.C.] since 2011, including this one. So it's extremely rare in B.C.," Haché said. He noted that despite the bite, he was not scared because rabies is extremely preventable with prompt treatment. Haché said several bystanders mentioned hearing about an aggressive skunk in the neighbourhood while he waited for rescue workers. He emphasized the importance of reporting abnormally behaving animals to public health authorities.

Vancouver Coastal Health explained that the rabies virus is found in saliva and is transmitted through bites or, less commonly, scratches. The authority explicitly stated rabies is not spread through an infected skunk's spray, urine, or feces. Rabies is a fatal viral infection affecting the brain and nervous system, though infections in Canada are extremely rare. Prompt administration of rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin after exposure can prevent the disease, officials said.

While bats are the only known reservoirs for rabies in British Columbia, occasional spillover infections occur in other animals like skunks. A recent case report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal detailed the death of an 11-year-old Ontario child from rabies in 2024. Dr. Brian Hummel, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and the report's senior author, said human rabies is extraordinarily rare in Canada, with only 28 cases reported since 1924. The last human case before that was a British Columbia man who died in 2019 after bat exposure.

Dr. Hummel noted there is no cure once rabies symptoms begin, but the virus has a long incubation period of several weeks. Anyone potentially exposed to a sick skunk in the specified area and timeframe should contact Vancouver Coastal Health immediately for assessment. Residents outside the region should contact their local health authority. The VCH public health line at 604-675-3900 is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with after-hours care directed to urgent care centres or emergency departments.

Pet owners whose animals had direct contact with a skunk during the advisory period should contact their veterinarian promptly. The health authority also advises the public to report any wild animal acting abnormally to the BC RAPP line. Abnormal behaviour includes disorientation, sickness, stumbling, unusual daytime activity, lack of fear of people, or aggression. If bitten or scratched by any wild animal, people should wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes and seek immediate medical care.

With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News and RED FM Canada