ESCONDIDO — County public health officials are seeking anyone who may have come into contact with two bats found at separate locations in Escondido last week that later tested positive for rabies.
The first bat was discovered Saturday around 4 p.m. in a grassy area near the White Oak Villas condominium complex and was retrieved by the San Diego Humane Society.
The second bat was found Sunday, just after 10 a.m. at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The animal was not part of a park habitat, according to a county statement. Officials said visitors who had no physical contact with the bat are not at risk. The bat was located on a rock wall outside the Okavango Restaurant and safely collected by a trained staff member.
“Human rabies is almost always fatal without prompt postexposure vaccination and treatment,” said Dr. Sayone Thihalilopavan, the county’s public health officer. “Rabies can be transmitted through a bat bite or when bat saliva comes into contact with a cut, scrape, or the eyes, nose or mouth. Bats play an important role in our local ecosystem, so it is essential for the public to remember not to touch bats or handle wildlife. Keeping a safe distance protects both you and the animals.”
The two cases mark the fourth and fifth rabid bats identified in the county this year. The infections were confirmed by the county Public Health Laboratory.
Anyone who may have interacted with or had direct contact with a bat in those areas is urged to contact the county Public Health Services at 619-692-8499 as soon as possible.
People who come into direct contact with a bat should wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice immediately.
Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Human cases are rare due to prevention efforts. The last reported human rabies case in San Diego County occurred in 2001 and involved a person bitten by a dog in the Philippines, according to the county.
Symptoms in humans can take weeks to months to develop after exposure. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal, but prompt post-exposure treatment can prevent the disease, health officials said.
