News Flash

Health Officials Report Rabid Raccoons Found in Massapequa Park and West Hempstead

Mineola, NY – The Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH) has confirmed that racoons collected in Massapequa Park and West Hempstead on December 29^th and 30^th, respectfully, tested positive for rabies. These new findings bring the total number of rabid animals identified in Nassau County in 2024 to seven, following previous cases involving feral cats and raccoons in Cedarhurst, Valley Stream, Hewlett, and Roslyn Heights. The raccoon collected in Massapequa Park bit and scratched a resident, who has since received immediate medical care and post-exposure prophylaxis. Residents are strongly advised to avoid contact with wild or feral animals, and to ensure their pets are up-to-date with their rabies vaccinations. 

“While prior cases were largely identified in the southwestern portion of Nassau County, these recent positive cases suggest an eastern spread of rabies activity,” said Nassau County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman. “It’s critical that we remain vigilant by staying alert for unusual animal behavior, avoiding contact with wild or stray animals, and ensuring our pets’ rabies vaccinations are current.”

In September, NCDOH had implemented additional rabies control measures as part of our ongoing control program, which distributed rabies vaccine bait in the southwest quadrant of Nassau County as a preventive measure to control rabies among wild animals. NCDOH is currently seeking additional funds from New York State Department of Health to expand distribution throughout the County. 

Rabies is a viral disease that is spread to humans and pets primarily through bites, scratches, or salivary contact from an infected animal. To protect yourself from possible exposure to rabies:

• Do not feed or touch wild animals, stray cats, or dogs, and discourage them from seeking food near your home.
• Ensure pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations, including dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, and livestock. Pets too young to be vaccinated should be kept indoors and allowed outside only under direct observation.
• Keep family pets indoors at night. Do not leave them outside unattended or let them roam free.
• Advise your family against approaching any unknown animal – wild or domestic – especially those acting abnormally.
• If a wild animal is on your property, immediately bring children and pets indoors and let it wander away. You may contact a nuisance wildlife control expert who will remove the animal for a fee.
• Do not touch dying or dead animals.  If you must move them, use a shovel, wear heavy rubber gloves, double bag the carcass, and place it in your outdoor trash can.

Any individual bitten or scratched by an animal should seek immediate medical care and then call NCDOH at 516-227-9663 (or 516-742-6154 afterhours, including weekends). No human cases of rabies have been reported in Nassau County to date due to the availability and effectiveness of immediate post-exposure prophylaxis treatment.

Residents should report if their pets have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal to NCDOH. Residents are also asked to report any dead, sick, or abnormal acting animals by emailing rabies@nassaucountyny.gov for possible collection and rabies testing.

For additional information on rabies visit the Nassau County Department of Health website.