Fury at the Gates of Quebec

Facing the threat of rabies transmitted by American raccoons, 46,000 vaccine doses will be released into the wild in southern Quebec starting Monday.

“The cases were registered less than 10 kilometers from the border. This is a situation we take very seriously,” says biologist Marianne Gagnaire, responsible for the case at Quebec’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

Starting Monday, April 22, teams will travel through forested areas along the U.S. border in an area considered high risk to distribute vaccines encapsulated in containers that will be chewed by wild animals. Aerial spraying is also planned for later in the season. This is the first time such an intervention has been carried out since 2020.

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“In Quebec, cases of rabies in raccoons were reported in 2006, prompting a surveillance operation for a good decade. But the situation was resolved to such an extent that we believed that the virus had been eradicated, at least in raccoons,” continues M.^{to me} Gagne, who has held this post since 2013.

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Infected rats

Reports from our southern neighbors have led to renewed prevention campaigns due to the threat posed by the rabies virus to mammals. When the first symptoms appear, it is too late and the mortality rate in humans is 100%, the expert emphasizes.

“Fortunately, we have excellent methods to prevent the spread, the vaccine is very effective,” she says.

One dose of the vaccine is enough to prevent the spread of the pathogen. All the animal has to do is chew the container, “like a ketchup packet,” to immunize it. The current period is optimal as females are preparing for childbirth. Without vaccination, they could infect their young with rabies, which in turn would pass it on to other carriers.

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Up to 40 km

Raccoon biology is well documented in Quebec, as the animals have been tracked during their movements using radio collars since 2010. Even if the species is confined to a relatively small area of ​​2 km2.²it can travel long distances – up to 40 km – before breeding.

The raccoon is not the only species that can transmit rabies. The bat is the endemic carrier of the virus, but only 1% of animals can transmit it.

Foxes and skunks can also carry the virus. Officials recommend reporting any sightings of animals exhibiting unusual behavior to authorities. For direct contact, dial 811.

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Rabies is a fatal disease transmitted between mammals. There is no treatment to combat it. Symptoms in humans include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, anxiety and irritability. Wild animals may appear paralyzed, lethargic, or unusually aggressive.

Since the early 2000s, only one human case has been reported in Quebec. It concerns a child who died after being infected by a bat.

In Quebec, 161 municipalities are at risk for the possible spread of rabies. This is an area of ​​660 km.². This is what the vaccination campaign is focusing on.

The Department of Environment, Wildlife and Climate Change tests an average of 1,000 animals a year to detect the virus, and none are carriers. In 2023, more than 1,200 samples were taken, including from animal carcasses hit by vehicles.