PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A raccoon in the Hope Street area of Providence has tested positive for rabies, the Rhode Island Department of Health said.

The department said anyone who may have had direct contact with a raccoon in the area should call its Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology right away at 401-222-2577, or 401-276-8046 after hours, so a nurse can assess the exposure and decide whether treatment is needed. People who think a pet may have come in 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 appear, according to the department. Treatment must begin as soon as possible after exposure.

The department said 43 rabid animals had been identified in Rhode Island in 2026, well above the average of 25 a year reported from 2021 to 2025.

State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies. Health officials also said people should avoid contact with wild animals and stray or free-roaming pets and not feed them, keep dogs leashed or in fenced yards, not feed pets outdoors, cover garbage cans securely and report all animal bites to local animal control.

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