On Janu­ary 05, a polar fox atta­cked the dogs of the wea­ther sta­ti­on on Hopen, the sou­the­as­tern­most island of the Spits­ber­gen group. Seve­ral dogs were bit­ten by the fox, befo­re it was kil­led.

Now it tur­ned out that the fox was infec­ted with rabies, a dise­a­se that is rare in Spits­ber­gen, but had been found befo­re (first time 1980, last time in 1999). Infec­tions, if not trea­ted medi­cal­ly, are in the end lethal, also for humans. Dead foxes or drop­pings should not be touch­ed; dead foxes should be repor­ted to the Sys­sel­man­nen so samples can be taken.

Quel­le: Mat­til­syn­et (Nor­we­gi­an aut­ho­ri­ty for food safe­ty)