Sixth Rabies Case Found in Suffolk County, New York

A dead raccoon was discovered in the Suffolk village of Lloyd Harbor last week with a case of terrestrial animal rabies – the sixth case of the virus reported since last March – and health officials are warning residents to steer clear of unknown wildlife.

The raccoon, found at West Neck Beach on Jan. 29, was submitted to the New York State Department of Health Rabies Laboratory, where it tested positive for the rabies virus.

This marks the sixth case of the virus reported in Suffolk since last March, and the third in Lloyd Harbor. Two other rabid raccoons have been recovered from Huntington and one from Cold Spring Harbor, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

There is a continuing effort to eradicate raccoon rabies by immunizing raccoons in the county against rabies before they become infected and spread the virus to other wildlife.

In September 2006, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Health and the US Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, distributed an oral rabies vaccine (ORV) by the Nassau-Suffolk border. Fishmeal baits containing an ORV were also dropped from helicopters in hopes that raccoons would consume the bait and become immunized, according to the Suffolk Department of Health Services. The vaccine poses no threat to humans or domestic animals.

Source: Long Island Press