The discovery of a rabid bat on a popular hiking trail has prompted officials to put hikers and pet owners on high alert.
Rabies is a virus health officials warn is almost always fatal once symptoms set in.
The bat was discovered around 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, near the popular Mesa Trail, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Officials issued an immediate public warning, stressing that rabies can be transmitted through bites so small people may not even realize they’ve been exposed. In many cases, victims never feel the bite at all.
Anyone who may have touched the bat — or saw someone else handle it — is urged to immediately contact the agency’s Communicable Disease Control Division. Pet owners whose animals may have come into contact with the bat should contact their veterinarian right away.
Rabies is spread through the saliva of infected animals, most commonly through bites, though exposure can also occur if saliva enters the eyes, mouth, or an open wound. Once symptoms begin — including fever, confusion, agitation, and difficulty swallowing — the disease is almost always fatal.
In recent years, most human rabies cases in the US have been linked to bats, whose tiny teeth can leave barely visible bite marks that often go unnoticed.
Because of that risk, officials stress the importance of seeking medical care immediately after any potential exposure.
Preventive treatment, when given promptly, is safe and highly effective at stopping the virus before illness develops.
Californians should always avoid contact with wild animals, keep pets vaccinated against rabies, and never attempt to handle bats — whether alive or dead, public officials said. Bats found inside homes or behaving abnormally outdoors should be reported to animal control for safe removal and testing.
Health officials emphasized the bottom line: rabies is rare, but when exposure happens, time matters — and waiting can be deadly.
