OAKDALE, NY — A raccoon found dead on a residential street in Oakdale has tested positive for rabies, Suffolk County health officials said Friday.
The raccoon was found Oct. 14 and picked up by an animal control officer with the Town of Islip Animal Shelter, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.
The New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center notified county health officials on Oct. 23 that the animal tested positive for rabies.
There were no reported human or pet exposures, officials said.
The case marks Suffolk County's 55th confirmed terrestrial rabies case since Feb. 7, 2025.
Rabies cases have continued to surface across Suffolk County since terrestrial rabies reemerged in the county last year. Recent cases have included infected raccoons found in Smithtown, Kings Park, Babylon, Bay Shore, Islip and Northport.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system. It is most commonly found in wild animals including raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes, although any mammal can become infected.
County health officials are reminding residents not to touch or transport wild animals.
Anyone who sees a raccoon behaving abnormally is asked to call Suffolk County Police at 631-852-COPS or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at 631-444-0250.
More information about rabies, animal bites and prevention is available through the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.
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