New Delhi, Aug. 4 -- New Yorkers fear the spread of two viruses in the state. Days after reports of a deadly Bourbon virus on Long Island, authorities on Monday confirmed three probable cases of rabbit fever (tularemia) this year.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) confirmed the cases following a July article by Stony Brook Medicine about a confirmed Bourbon virus infection on Long Island.

Rabbit fever, or tularemia, is caused by the Francisella tularensis bacteria. It spreads through bites from ticks or flies, most commonly the Lone Star tick and American dog tick, according to CNN.

A person who is in direct contact with a sick animal, either through drinking water or through breathing in contaminated dust, can a...