Los Angeles County leaders issue warning over record amount of rabid bats detected in 2026

Los Angeles County public health leaders are sharing a warning with the public due to a record number of rabid bats detected in 2026.

"As of September 28, World Rabies Day, 69 rabid bats have been confirmed, matching last year's record, with peak season still underway," according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. 

Officials said that while rabies is preventable, it causes tens of thousands of deaths annually around the world. They said that most human cases are linked to exposure through dogs, and that while that strain of rabies was eradicated in the U.S. through routine vaccination, other strains of rabies circulate in wildlife, including bats. 

"Rabid bat detections can vary year-to-year, but Los Angeles County has seen a steady upward trend for more than a decade," the release said. "Peak season typically occurs in late summer."

They said that in August alone, there were 24 rabid bats confirmed and that one in three bats submitted for rabies testing were found positive. 

According to LADPH, rabid bats have been found in every part of LA County, including areas like the San Fernando Valley and downtown. They have been located in office buildings and businesses and at parks, homes and schools. 

They also noted that the vast majority of the detections occurred in the Santa Clarita Valley, where 68% of the 69 bats were discovered. 

"Most were Canyon Bats, suggesting rabies may be circulating more intensely within that local bat population," officials said. 

Humans can be exposed to rabies when saliva or tissue from a bat enters the body through a bite or scratch, or if there is contact with a wound, mouth, nose or eyes, officials said. 

"Bat bites are very small, and feel like a pinprick, so they may go unnoticed by a sleeping person," the release said. "Anyone who wakes up to find a bat in the room, or finds a bat near a sleeping person, child, or pet, should treat it as a possible exposure and contact your local animal control or Public Health right away."

People were urged not to release the bat so that it can be collected and tested by animal control officials. 

More information on rabies was available on the LADPH website.