Officials issue warning as rabies cases surge in US city with locals advised to look for symptoms
New York City has seen a surge in rabies cases in four of the city's five boroughs.
Rabies is nothing new in America, but NYC is said to be experiencing 30 percent more rabid racoon cases compared to last year.
City data states that (as of November 6) there has been 26 cases of racoons with rabies. There's also been seven cases of rabid skunks and one rabid cat, bringing the total to be 35 cases.
These cases have been reported across Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
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Discussing the matter, Sally Slavinski, director of the Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Disease Unit at the New York City Health Department, told the New York Post: "Historically, we never really saw that many rabid raccoons in Queens or Brooklyn.
"And then in 2022, and into 2023, we saw clustering of raccoons in Queens along the Nassau County border, and then there was a spread into Brooklyn and into Long Island."
While movies like Cujo depicts an animal with rabies becoming extremely aggressive, Slavinski assured people that it's unlikely that the racoons across NYC will get 'the aggressive form of rabies'.
Signs of rabies to be aware of
NYC Health lists the following signs to look out for in animals:
- Tiredness or low energy
- Confusion or disorientation
- Difficulty moving or walking, or paralysis
- Unusual or extreme aggression
- Eating or chewing objects, such as wood, soil, stones, plants or other unusual materials
- Excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth
- Voice changes or hoarseness
- Dilated pupils (black center of the eye is larger) or vacant stare
- Abnormal behavior, such as a wild animal that does not shy away from people
If a pet, such as a cat or dog, develops rabies it will have typically been transmitted from a racoon. With this in mind, all dogs and cats in NYC are required to have up-to-date vaccinations against rabies. The disease can be fatal to them.
What to do if you pet has been exposed
NYC Health says if you have any fears that your pet has been exposed to viral disease from a rabid animal you should report it to the Health Department.
If your beloved pet has been exposed to rabies and not been vaccinated, it won't be a good outcome for them. NYC Health states: "Dogs and cats that have never been vaccinated are required to either be euthanized or isolated for up to six months in a facility under daily veterinary observation.
"Dogs and cats whose rabies vaccinations are not current, and pets with bite wounds of unknown origin, will be managed on a case-by-case basis."
Officials also say that dogs and cats that are currently rabies vaccinated should immediately receive a booster vaccine if they have been exposed. The animals must be confined and observed for 45 days in the owner’s home as well.
It should be noted that no dogs have tested positive for over six decades and the last human case of rabies in NYC was reported in 1947.
Niamh Shackleton
