Nassau County is warning residents about the rise of rabies. The Department of Health declared an imminent public health threat Monday over the spread of rabies among wild animals.

It’s a disease that’s so serious that only 14 people have ever survived it. Now that the number of reported non-human rabies cases has skyrocketed in Nassau County, its health commissioner has declared it to be an imminent public health threat to residents through animal transmission.

A New York county has declared rabies to be an “imminent public health threat” as the disease spreads among wild and feral-domesticated animals, according to health officials. The Nassau County Department of Health said there have been 25 confirmed cases of rabies in animals across the area since June 2024.