13-Year-Old Boy Bitten By Rabid Beaver At Cunningham Falls State Park

Updated Tuesday at 4:04 p.m.

FREDERICK COUNTY, MD — A 13-year-old boy was bitten by a rabid beaver Sunday while he was swimming at Cunningham Falls State Park.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources told WUSA9 that the boy was hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Hospital after suffering injuries to his hands and chest.

Tests conducted by MDNR officials confirmed the beaver was positive for rabies, the Frederick County Health Department said in a release.

The department said the teenager was bitten around 9 a.m. Sunday while swimming in the William Houck Area, near the north beach of the lake. The region is considered a designated swimming area at the park.

For the time being, authorities have barred residents from swimming in the area until officials can confirm it is safe for park visitors.

While rabies is considered a preventable disease, it can prove fatal once symptoms appear. The virus is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals or through bites and scratches.

Anyone who believes they may have come in contact with the rabid beaver or any other wildlife is urged to contact their health provider.

Individuals can also notify the FCHD’s Community Health Services Office at (301) 600-3342. For pets or livestock, the department says residents should contact their veterinarian and notify the FCHD’s Environmental Health Office at (301) 600-1717.