Video of contact with possibly rabid skunk in B.C. prompts health authority warning

Vancouver Coastal Health is warning anyone in the city's downtown who has had contact with a possibly rabid skunk to get a medical assessment immediately after a video emerged on social media.

The video posted on Facebook on Oct. 10 shows a skunk struggling to cross a Vancouver street, attracting a number of bystanders before a man picked up the animal using a sweater and moved it onto the sidewalk.

On Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health reported a skunk captured in the city's downtown has tested positive for rabies, but it is unclear if it's the same animal shown in the Facebook video.

The health authority says a small number of people were bitten by the skunk and have been assessed, as well as receiving rabies vaccinations and immunoglobulin as a precaution.

It also says that it is aware of videos capturing other exposures, and anyone in the West End and Stanley Park areas who have had contact with a skunk between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 should contact Vancouver Coastal Health immediately.

The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through bites or scratches, and an infection affects the brain and nervous system leading to possible death.

The health authority says the virus is not transmitted through other types of exposures such as the spray, urine or feces of an infected skunk.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.

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