4 rabies cases reported in Harford County this week as yearly total hits 28
Health officials in Harford County are warning residents after another animal tested positive for rabies Wednesday, pushing the county's total number of cases this year past the number reported in all of 2025.
"It's a little spooky, I guess. Definitely unexpected. We play outside all the time, so hearing about rabies is always scary, especially when there's kids involved," said Chris McIntosh of Forest Hill.
Neighbors in a Forest Hill community said they are concerned after a rabid groundhog was found in their neighborhood this week.
That case was one of four rabies-positive animals reported in the county this week. A rabid groundhog and raccoon were reported from Aberdeen on Tuesday.
"Surprising, I mean we've seen some foxes and some other stuff wandering around but having a rabid animal is always concerning," said Christian Taylor of Forest Hill.
A fox that tested positive Wednesday marked the 28th rabies case reported in Harford County this year.
Why the uptick in rabies cases
Ronya Nassar with the Harford County Health Department said the increase could be partly due to greater awareness and more people reporting suspected cases.
"Just the awareness in general has really gotten individuals to learn more about rabies. We're really providing the education, and I think that's kind of why we've been seeing more of those cases," Nassar said.
Oral Rabies Vaccination Program
The latest cases come just weeks after the county announced its Oral Rabies Vaccination Program.
So far, officials have distributed more than 1,000 bait packets throughout the county in an effort to vaccinate wild animals that consume them.
"We might not see this change overnight with the cases. But we are really hopeful that this program is going to work," Nassar said.
Safety reminder for Harford County residents
Nassar is reminding residents to make sure their pets are vaccinated and to teach children not to interact with wild animals.
Neighbors said they plan to be more cautious after the recent rabies cases.
"We always try to keep our distance with animals anyway, let them do their own thing. But yeah, I think I definitely will be more cautious seeing animals, especially if they're behaving strangely," McIntosh said.
"We'll definitely look in the backyard a little closer before letting him out at night and make sure we keep an eye on him when he's out there for sure, because that's ugly," Taylor said.
Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to an animal with rabies in Harford County should contact the Harford County Health Department immediately at 410-877-2300.
