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Health officials warn about raccoons with rabies in Central Park
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An outbreak of rabies has been reported among raccoons in New York City's Central Park.
Since December 2009, 28 cases of rabies have been confirmed in raccoons found in or near Central Park, according to public health officials.
Cases of rabies in raccoons are typically extremely rare in Manhattan. Prior to the beginning of this outbreak, only three cases of rabies in raccoons had been reported since 2003.
On Friday, health officials warned that the rabies outbreak could spread from raccoons to humans. They said the lack of natural predators for raccoons in Central Park and the close proximity to humans could further exacerbate the problem.
Public health officials warned that people should keep pets on a leash and avoid raccoons they see during daylight hours. They are also asking the public to report any animals that appear sick, disoriented or aggressive.
Public health officials are monitoring the situation and working with the city’s parks department to increase surveillance and vaccinate wild raccoons.