Quebec confirms infected cow as outbreak of raccoon rabies continues
Quebec health officials have confirmed the first case of raccoon rabies in a cow, marking a concerning development in an ongoing provincial outbreak. The government is urging livestock owners and pet owners to vaccinate their animals to prevent further spread of the disease.
Why it matters
Rabies is a zoonotic disease that poses a significant public health risk, and its transmission to livestock increases the potential for human exposure.
Quebec has confirmed its first case of raccoon rabies in a cow as the disease continues to spread in an ongoing outbreak.
The Quebec ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food says the cow died on Oct. 30, the day the first symptoms appeared, and the rabies infection was confirmed on Wednesday.
It adds that the animal was a young, unvaccinated heifer in the town of Coaticook, in the Estrie region.
Three cats in the Montérégie region previously tested positive for raccoon rabies over the summer.
The provincial government has confirmed 329 cases of the variant of rabies this year in an outbreak that started in 2024.
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