Rabies cases rise sharply in Rhode Island, with 48 animals infected

Rhode Island officials have confirmed 48 rabid animals this year, nearly double the state's average of 25 a year over the previous five years.

The cases include 27 raccoons, 14 bats, four skunks, a cat, a coyote and a woodchuck.

The increase began in March and has been seen across the state, including near Providence, but officials have no clear explanation for the rise.

Rabies attacks the brain and nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms begin.

People and pets can be exposed through bites, scratches or saliva entering an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.

Prompt treatment can prevent infection after exposure, and an animal exposed to a suspected rabid animal should be vaccinated within 96 hours, an animal control officer said.

At least 32 people have received treatment for possible exposure, while the state continues to investigate the rise in animal cases.