# NYC’s rabies rate is highest in years — and people who feed raccoons are to blame

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/nycs-rabies-rate-is-highest-in-years-and-people-who-feed-raccoons-are-to-blame/
- Published: 2026-11-10T16:10:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T16:55:48+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/10/lifestyle/nycs-rabies-rate-is-highest-in-years/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- NYC has recorded 26 raccoon rabies cases in 2026.
- That is 30% more than the total for 2025.
- Officials point to several possible causes, but the spread remains unclear.

## Summary

New York City has recorded 26 raccoon rabies cases so far in 2026, 30% more than in all of 2025 and over 12 times the 2024 total. The rise matters because cases have appeared in boroughs where rabid raccoons were previously less common, though health officials say the disease’s spread is difficult to explain and can fluctuate from year to year.

Twelve cases were reported in Queens, while Manhattan had none; the article says the cases span the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Possible factors include a larger raccoon population, the virus spreading into areas where animals have less immunity, and people moving raccoons to new locations. Rabies usually passes between raccoons through saliva, and infected animals may look weak or disoriented; officials advise people to keep their distance from raccoons and avoid handling sick animals.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.