In New York, the Columbia County Department of Health is warning residents of a sharp increase in the number of cases of confirmed rabid animals.
According to county Environmental Health Director Ed Coons, six out of seven raccoons have tested positive for rabies with one test pending, all in the past nine weeks. He says the danger of rabies is not limited to raccoons, as the animals will likely come into contact with other mammals, such as skunks, foxes and feral cats. The warning comes as temperatures increase and people spend more time outdoors. Any potential rabies exposure to a wild or stray animal should be reported to the county health department.
