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For the first time since 2011, rabid raccoons have been discovered in New York. Health officials said they have identified four rabid raccoons in and around Inwood Hill Park in northern Manhattan, and two others in the Bronx and Staten Island.
The New York City Department of Health recommends that people vaccinate their pets and avoid raccoons and other wild animals that may be carrying rabies.
"Rabies is a serious illness Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot said in a statement: "Watch your animals carefully when you take them out and if you see a wild animal, such as a raccoon, safe distance and do not approach it. Have your pets vaccinated against rabies and if you think they've been bitten by a rabid animal, call 311, "the city government's information line".
Rabies infection is rare in the United States, but it still occurs. In New York, rabid raccoons have not been seen until years after an intensive vaccination campaign eight years ago. The Department of Health had trapped, vaccinated and released nearly 500 raccoons in and around Central Park.
But so far this year, officials have identified six rabid raccoons in New York: four in Manhattan, one in the Bronx and one in Staten Island. No bite or exposure related to these animals has been reported.
How is rabies transmitted?
Rabies is a viral disease transmitted to humans and other mammals through the saliva of an infected animal that bites or scratches it. The majority of rabies reported to CDC each year occurs in wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.
It is not necessarily possible to know by looking if an animal is suffering from rabies, but its behavior may offer clues. A rabid animal can act hostile and try to bite or move unusually slowly and seem to lose its natural fear of humans. If a nocturnal animal such as an opossum or raccoon comes out in the day and does not seem to be afraid of humans, it's possible that he may have rabies.
The Department of Health advises New Yorkers to report any animal that appears to be sick, disoriented, unusually placid or aggressive.
What are the symptoms of rabies?
Rabies affects the central nervous system and, if left untreated, attacks the brain and eventually causes death.
Death usually occurs a few days after the onset of symptoms. This is why it is extremely important to get immediate preventive treatment if you think you have been exposed to rabies. Do not wait and see if the symptoms appear – by then, it will be too late.
If a person is infected, the first symptoms of rabies include fever, headache, general weakness or discomfort, and a tingling or itchy sensation in the bite. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms will develop, including insomnia, anxiety, confusion, and agitation. Partial paralysis can occur and the person may have hallucinations and delirium. The infected person may experience an increase in saliva, difficulty swallowing and hydrophobia (fear of water) due to difficulty swallowing.
What is the treatment against rabies?
Rabies vaccine – a series of vaccines – can prevent the development of the disease if treatment begins soon after exposure.
Check with your doctor if you or your child has been bitten or scratched by a wild animal or any other animal if you do not know whether or not he has been vaccinated. Your doctor, possibly in consultation with national or local health authorities, will decide if you need the rabies vaccine.
Deaths from rabies are very rare in the United States, with only one or two deaths each year. Statistics are different in less developed countries, where more than 55,000 people die each year from the disease, mainly in Africa and Asia.
Protect your pet
For pet ownersIt is important to visit your veterinarian regularly and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date.
If a pet is not vaccinated and is exposed to a rabid animal, the CDC says it should be euthanized immediately. If the pet owner does not wish, the animal should be isolated for six months and vaccinated one month before being released.
Keeping cats and ferrets inside and watching dogs from outside can also protect them.
Finally, the CDC recommends calling animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood because they may not be vaccinated.
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