WARWICK, R.I. — A person in Warwick, Rhode Island, began rabies treatment Nov. 1 after being bitten or scratched by a raccoon near Payton Avenue, the Rhode Island Department of Health said Monday.

The raccoon was not captured or tested for rabies, the department said, but raccoons commonly carry the disease.

Health officials said anyone who may have had direct contact with a raccoon in the area should call the department's Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 401-222-2577, or 401-276-8046 after hours, so a nurse can assess the exposure and decide whether treatment is needed. Pet owners who think their animal may have come into contact with the raccoon should call the department, their local animal control officer and their veterinarian, officials said.

Rabies attacks the central nervous system and is fatal if it is not treated before symptoms begin, the department said. Treatment must start as soon as possible after an exposure.

According to the department, 46 rabid animals have been identified in Rhode Island in 2026, compared with an average of 25 a year from 2021 through 2025. Most were raccoons, bats and skunks, though a rabid cat, a coyote and a woodchuck have also been found.

State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies. The department also advises people to avoid contact with wild and stray animals, not to feed pets outdoors, to keep pets under control, to cover garbage cans securely and to report all animal bites to local animal control.

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