California's Rabid Animals Reach 368, a 28-Year High: Bats Account for 344 as the CDC Issues a Nationwide Health Alert
SACRAMENTO — Provisional figures from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) show that from January 1 to October 14, 2026, a total of 368 rabid animals were confirmed statewide, a 28-year high. Of those, 344 were bats and 21 were skunks, along with one cat, one dog and one raccoon. At the end of August the statewide count stood at 252. All figures are provisional and will change as laboratories report more cases.
The rise is not confined to California. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide health alert on September 10; according to the Sacramento Bee, rabies-related inquiries in July and August were 17 percent higher than in the same period of 2025, and demand for rabies vaccine was up roughly 33 percent. Since 1980, 17 people in California have been infected with rabies, most recently in 2024.
At county level, as this site has previously reported, the number of rabid bats detected in Los Angeles County this year has set a county record. State health officials say the public should avoid touching wild animals, especially bats found on the ground or inside homes; seal gaps where bats could enter a house; keep pets' rabies vaccinations current; and seek medical advice immediately after any possible exposure. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but treatment given after an exposure and before symptoms can prevent the disease.
(Source: California Department of Public Health)
Source: California Department of Public Health
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加州叶鼻蝠夜间飞行（资料图）。美国土地管理局 mypubliclands 摄，公有领域，来源 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: A California leaf-nosed bat in flight at night (file photo), by mypubliclands (U.S. Bureau of Land Management), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
