14/02/2026
RABIES ALERT SUFFOLK COUNTY
Department of Health
As you may be aware, there is an ongoing outbreak of terrestrial rabies in Suffolk County, and the Department is asking for your help to report all animal bites and potential rabies exposures. When you are made aware of any such exposure, please do the following:
• A human that was bit/scratched/exposed to a wild or domestic animal in Suffolk County
- Contact the Suffolk County Public Health Nurses at 631-854-0333 (After hours call 631-852-4820)
• A pet that was bit/scratched/exposed to a wild animal in Suffolk County
- Contact the Suffolk County Bureau of Public Health Protection at 631-852-5999 (After hours call 631-852-4820)
The Department will follow up with the individuals to determine the potential risk of rabies transmission and discuss treatment.
Terrestrial rabies is not endemic to Long Island and can spread rapidly if left unchecked, posing a threat to people, pets, and wildlife. Terrestrial rabies first re-emerged in Nassau County in 2024 when a feral cat tested positive for the virus. Suffolk County followed in February of 2025 when a raccoon tested positive, the first positive terrestrial rabies sample in Suffolk since 2009. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services has since increased rabies surveillance by drastically increasing the number of animals tested for rabies, with a focus on raccoons. As of February 11, 2026, twenty raccoons have tested positive for rabies along with two cats. All positive samples have been limited to the Town of Babylon.
Along with increased surveillance, the County established an oral rabies vaccine (ORV) program with the assistance of the USDA. In September 2025, over 240,000 oral rabies baits were distributed throughout the four western towns of Babylon, Huntington, Islip, and Smithtown with the goal to stop the spread of terrestrial rabies and to eventually eliminate it completely once contained. ORV bait distribution is expected to continue in the fall of 2026.
The rabies virus is fatal if untreated, making the reporting of any human/pet exposure pivotal. In the first week of February 2026, a Suffolk County veterinarian reported that a member of the public was bitten by a severely neurological outdoor cat visiting the office but left the practice without resolving any treatments. The veterinarian learned that the cat passed away shortly after the visit and immediately contacted the Department to report the exposure. The cat tested positive for the rabies virus, and the individual has since started post-exposure treatment. Prior to speaking to the Department, the individual had no concern over the cat bite and would not have sought medical treatment. The vet who contacted the Department quite possibly saved this individual’s life.
Please feel free to contact the Bureau of Public Health Protection with any questions you may have. Thank you all for your anticipated assistance.
Christopher Kandell
Associate Public Health Sanitarian
Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services
Bureau of Public Health Protection
360 Yaphank Ave, Suite 2A
Yaphank, NY 11980
Phone: (631)852-5864
