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Urgent warning as rabid bat cases surge in elite California college town
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- The city of Berkeley, California, has issued an urgent warning after five bats tested positive for rabies this year, marking a significant increase from previous years with two or fewer cases annually.
- No human rabies cases have been reported locally, but a cat in nearby Pleasanton tested positive for rabies in June 2026, highlighting the risk to both animals and humans.
- Rabies is almost always fatal without early treatment, though it is rare in humans, with fewer than 10 deaths annually in the U.S.; a California teacher died from rabies in 2024 after a bat bite.
- Residents are advised not to handle bats, to bat-proof their homes, and to contact Alameda County Vector Control Services if a bat is found indoors or outdoors.
- Yosemite National Park officials also reported a rabid bat found in May, noting that a small percentage of bats tested in the park annually are positive for rabies as part of routine wildlife disease monitoring.
