Beaver that bit boy at Cunningham Falls State Park test positive for rabies - WBAL-TV

What the report says

WBAL-TV reported that a beaver that attacked a 13-year-old boy at Cunningham Falls State Park has tested positive for rabies, according to officials. The incident happened at the state park’s William Houck Area near the North Beach of the lake, where the swimming beach was closed after the boy was bitten.

According to the station, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said the teenager suffered injuries to his hands and chest and was flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Sunday morning. The Maryland Department of Health said the beaver was collected shortly after the attack by DNR and euthanized so it could be tested for rabies. Officials later confirmed the positive test result.

The swimming area at the beach is expected to remain closed for several days while crews assess the area and determine when it is safe for visitors to return. WBAL-TV reported that the Maryland Park Service and Natural Resources Police searched the area, and officials had been checking whether any additional beavers were present and whether the captured animal was the one involved. Other areas of Cunningham Falls State Park remained open.

Health officials advised anyone who may have had contact with the beaver or other wildlife to consult a health care provider and contact the Frederick County Health Department’s Community Health Services Office at 301-600-3342. Rabies is a serious viral disease that can be fatal without prompt medical treatment, so possible exposure is typically treated as urgent.