Nassau, Suffolk counties must act to stop rabies from spreading

The spread of rabies in Nassau County is a concerning resurgence that caused the county’s health department to declare an "imminent public health threat" this week. A day later, the county urged people not to panic since there have been no reports of people getting rabies on Long Island.

And while there's no reason to panic and rabies is rare, it is deadly. 

There have been 25 confirmed rabid animals in Nassau since last July "across multiple communities," according to the county. They include raccoons and feral cats. County officials said the disease had been eradicated in 2016 "following aggressive control efforts."

Those aggressive efforts are needed again.

Nassau said it will resume dropping oral rabies vaccine baits to immunize raccoons this fall. Scientists generally agree the best time to place baited rabies vaccines for raccoons is late summer/early fall by when young raccoons have grown large enough to begin foraging on their own.

Suffolk County this year has had six cases of rabies in raccoons, all in Amityville. The county said until this year, there had not been a reported case of rabies in a raccoon since 2009. There were also 26 confirmed cases of rabid bats in Suffolk since 2016, with one reported this year. The county said between 3% and 6% of bats tested for rabies turn out positive. Suffolk said it will carry out an oral rabies vaccine baiting program later this year.

The growing number of rabies cases in Nassau and Suffolk highlights the need for action, especially since on Long Island there are plenty of wild mammals to carry the virus. New York City must also resume baiting, especially in wooded areas adjoining its more suburban counties.

 The state Department of Environmental Conservation estimates there are more than 100 raccoons per square mile on Long Island, which is about 1,400 square miles. While there are only about 4,000 reported rabies cases in the country each year, 34% were found in bats and 28.3% in raccoons, according to a 2024 study by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 10% of raccoons on the East Coast that interact directly or indirectly with people have rabies, "making them one of the highest rabies risks in the U.S." 

There are a few simple things you can do to be proactive. First, get your cats and dogs vaccinated. It’s the law, and the best way to protect against rabies. There are plenty of vaccine sites on Long Island, from pet stores to veterinarians to town- and county-sponsored pop-up sites. And the vaccines are often free or cheap.

Avoid wild animals and stray cats and dogs. Don’t touch dead animals. Keep pets on a leash when outside. Keep garbage cans tightly covered.

Nassau and Suffolk provide valuable information on their health department websites, as does New York State. Educate yourself and protect your pets.