Data Visualization: Rabies – A Forgotten Killer

Bats with rabies have been found in every state except for Hawaii. Skunks with rabies have been found in parts of California, the Midwest, Texas, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Raccoons with rabies have been found in the South and Eastern states. Foxes with rabies have been found in Alaska, Arizona, and New Mexico. Foxes and skunks with rabies have been found in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Mongoose with rabies have been found in Puerto Rico.

In 1938, most cases of rabid animals reported were domestic (9,321) and some were wild (44). Since then, the numbers have reversed. In 2017, 399 cases of rabid animals reported were domestic and 4,055 were wild.