Calif. just broke a 28-year-old record for fatal rabies detections

Key Points:

• Two raccoons found sick in Westlake Village, California, tested positive for rabies—the first raccoon cases in the county since 1973—prompting concern from the CDC about potential new rabies variants spreading in the area.
• The raccoons carried the bat variant of rabies, which is common in California, but experts warn that if a raccoon-specific strain emerges, it could lead to widespread transmission and increased human exposure due to raccoons' close contact with humans.
• California has reported a record high of 368 rabid animals in 2024, mostly bats and skunks, marking the highest number since 1998, though officials maintain that public risk remains low and the reasons for the increase are unclear.
• Nationally, there has been a 76% increase in people receiving post-exposure rabies treatment, signaling a possible rise in rabies exposure, but delays in CDC data and staffing cuts hinder timely analysis and understanding of broader trends.
• Experts emphasize the importance of avoiding contact with wildlife, keeping pets vaccinated, and consulting physicians after potential exposures, especially involving bats, while advocating for improved surveillance and data reporting to better track rabies outbreaks.