Rabies alert in New York: 35 animals in four boroughs

New York health authorities warned on Wednesday about a rise in rabies cases among wild animals in four of the city's five boroughs, with 35 animals testing positive as of November 6, according to Health Department data.

The count includes 26 raccoons, seven skunks and one cat, in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Only Manhattan has reported no cases this year. The 26 rabid raccoons are 30% more than in the same period last year, the New York Post reported.

Sally Slavinski, director of the Health Department's Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Disease Unit, told the newspaper that the geographic spread marks a worrying shift from historical patterns.

The Health Department reminded New Yorkers not to approach raccoons or any wild animal, and to keep pets' rabies vaccinations up to date. Anyone who sees an animal behaving strangely should call 311. Since October 5, the city has been distributing baits with oral rabies vaccine for raccoons in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

Rabies is fatal if not treated in time, although the last human case recorded in the city dates back to 1947, according to authorities.

Photo: UNILAD

Source: UNILAD / New York Post