Two raccoons tested positive for rabies late last week, one found in the Green Earth Avenue area of Johnston and the other in the Plainfield Pike area of Coventry, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health. The discoveries add to what has become an unusually active year for rabies in the state, with health officials urging anyone who may have crossed paths with either animal to get checked out right away.
As reported by WJAR, anyone who may have had direct contact with a raccoon in either area should immediately call RIDOH at 401-222-2577 on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or 401-276-8046 after hours. A nurse can assess the exposure and determine whether treatment is needed, and that treatment must begin as soon as possible and before symptoms appear.
Pet owners in Johnston and Coventry are being asked to take the same precaution. Anyone whose pet may have come into contact with either raccoon should contact RIDOH, their local animal control officer and their veterinarian, the station's report notes. State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to stay current on rabies vaccinations, according to RIDOH.
A Disease That Moves Fast Once Symptoms Start
Rabies infects the central nervous system and is fatal if it is not treated before symptoms develop, health officials said. That grim timeline is why RIDOH is pushing people to report possible exposures quickly rather than wait and see, since once symptoms appear, treatment is no longer an option.
Case Counts Climb Well Above the Historical Average
The Johnston and Coventry cases arrive amid a broader surge in rabies activity across Rhode Island this year. Per the same account, 48 animals have tested positive for rabies so far in 2026, compared with an annual average of just 25 between 2021 and 2025 — nearly double the typical pace. A separate count from WPRI put the 2026 statewide figure at 46 rabid wild animals, also describing it as nearly twice the five-year average; the two outlets' tallies differ slightly, and the discrepancy is not explained in available reporting.
Most of this year's cases have involved raccoons, bats and skunks, though a cat, a coyote and a woodchuck have also tested positive, the report states. The variety of species affected underscores that the risk isn't confined to any one kind of wildlife encounter.
Similar Cases Surfaced Elsewhere in Rhode Island
The Johnston and Coventry detections follow other recent rabies confirmations around the state. WPRI reported that three raccoons tested positive for rabies in North Smithfield and Pawtucket, with one found near Black Plain Road in North Smithfield and two more near Wilcox and Blaisdell avenues in Pawtucket. In that cluster, WPRI reported no known human exposures among the Pawtucket raccoons, while a dog and two residents in North Smithfield were receiving post-exposure treatment.
For Johnston and Coventry residents, the message from health officials remains the same regardless of the exact statewide count: a sighting or encounter with a raccoon in either affected area warrants a call to RIDOH before any symptoms have a chance to take hold.
