Some good news: Virginia’s 2023 rabies numbers are looking normal

Despite some local upticks in animal rabies reports, Virginia health officials said cases in the commonwealth this year are in line with averages from the past decade.

“While local health department statistics may vary and some localities may experience a series of rabies-oriented events in quick succession, currently, from a statewide standpoint, we are reporting average levels of laboratory-confirmed rabid animals,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Julia Murphy in an email.

According to data from the Virginia Department of Health, roughly 3,000 animals in the state are tested for rabies annually. Over the past decade, an average of 9.5% to 13.8% of those animals tested positive for the disease every year.

As of the beginning of June, VDH had tested 1,472 animals for rabies this year, with 10.5% testing positive, said Murphy.