A 13-year-old boy is recovering after being attacked by a rabid beaver while swimming at Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont, Maryland. Dominick Cebula was reportedly looking at fish underwater on July 26 when a beaver latched onto his chest and would not let go. He undergoes multiple surgeries, and reporting says he experiences injuries that include nerve damage.
Both outlets describe the incident as part of a broader pattern of similar beaver encounters in Maryland. The Guardian notes that attacks involving beavers are relatively uncommon, but it says this type of encounter has been recurring more recently in the state. The New York Post similarly reports the severity of the boy’s condition and the medical treatment he receives after the attack. Neither outlet indicates the incident involves any human-to-human transmission; the focus remains on the animal bite, the rabies diagnosis, and the boy’s ongoing recovery.
