It’s a disease that’s so serious that only 14 people have ever survived it. Now that the number of reported non-human rabies cases has skyrocketed in Nassau County, its health commissioner has declared it to be an imminent public health threat to residents through animal transmission.

Nassau County is warning residents about the rise of rabies. The Department of Health declared an imminent public health threat Monday over the spread of rabies among wild animals.

Authorities in one Long Island county are issuing an imminent public health threat over a concerning rise in the number of cases of rabies, a disease local health officials say they eradicated nearly a decade ago.