Fox that attacked and bit members of Congress on Capitol Hill had rabies, officials confirm

Fox has been euthanised and its kits have also been captured

Capitol Fox Encounters

A fox that bit at least nine people, including a Congressman on Capitol Hill, tested positive for rabies on Wednesday, city health officials have confirmed.

“The DC Public Health Lab has confirmed the fox that was captured yesterday tested positive for the rabies virus,” the city’s health agency said.

It advised those who had come in contact with the animal or its offspring to contact authorities. “DC Health is contacting all human victims who were bitten by the fox,” the agency said.

Washington DC officials confirmed earlier in the day that the fox was “captured and humanely euthanised” on Tuesday to conduct rabies testing.

“The fox was an adult female and her kits were found and captured this morning,” it had said.

The officials did not disclose where the kits were taken or if they would also be euthanised. They said they were “working to determine next steps for the fox kits”.

US Capitol police captured the fox on Tuesday after it bit a Congressional lawmaker on the leg.

Representative Ami Bera, a Democrat from California, told reporters that he was bit in an “unprovoked” encounter with the fox near the Russell office building.

He was back to work on Wednesday, saying he felt healthy.

“Despite the dustup, I hold no grudge or ill will against @thecapitolfox. Hoping the [fox] and its family are safely relocated and wishing it a happy and prosperous future,” he said, tagging a Twitter account created for the animal.

Reports that the fox had been euthanised led to an outpouring of sorrow for the animal that had been seen by many on the premises of the Capitol.

“If anyone sees another fox on Capitol Hill, let’s all agree to not say a word about it, ok?” CNN reporter Kristin Wilson tweeted.

“Capitol Hill Fox, we hardly knew you,” Garrett Haake of NBC News wrote.