There is a renewed health concern that residents in the Buffalo and Western New York area should be aware of as we get ready for the end of the school year and start of summer!

The summer is just about here and the weather in the Buffalo area is about to get hot! The more time you spend outdoors, the greater your chance to interact with wildlife. There is a new alert from New York State health officials.

The summer means camping, hiking and fun! We are truly blessed to have some pretty amazing places to see outdoors. From Niagara Falls, to the Allegheny Mountains, Western New York has so much to offer if you love adventure and fresh air!

But with the fun, comes a few risks. From ticks, to sun burn and even the occasional run in with animals, it pays to pay attention and be prepared.

READ MORE: Massive Change For Western New York Schools

According to reports, there was a woodchuck found to have rabies in a New York State town.

In Cazenovia, a woodchuck tested positive for the illness after attacking a cat that sadly had to be put down. In a post from LOCALsyr.com, it was noted that: "If an animal has rabies and bites you — or licks its claw before it scratches you — then you can be exposed to the rabies virus".

As far as ticks are concerned, there have been a large amount of reported cases in the last few weeks. The more mild weather in the last winter made the conditions ideal for ticks to stay active.

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