Bat in Irvine Tests Positive for Rabies, Health Officials Warn

A bat found in an Irvine neighborhood has tested positive for rabies, the Orange County Health Care Agency announced. The bat was discovered on Monday, September 28 — which is World Rabies Day — between 18 Wedgewood and 28 Whispering Pine. That spot is less than a quarter-mile from Canyon View Elementary School. Health officials are urging anyone who touched the bat, or saw someone else touch it, to call their office right away.

Anyone with possible contact should call the OC Health Care Agency's Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180. Pet owners who think their animals may have come near the bat should call their veterinarian. Officials say it is important to act quickly because rabies can be very dangerous if it is not treated in time.

Rabies is a virus found in the saliva of infected animals. It can spread to people through the bite of a rabid animal. In rare cases, it can also spread if infected saliva gets into a person's eyes, mouth, or an open cut on their skin.

Health officials noted that most human rabies cases in the United States come from bats. Because bats have very small teeth, their bites can be hard to notice or feel. That is why doctors say you should seek help even if you are not sure whether a bat bit you.

Rabies is almost always deadly once a person begins to show symptoms. However, a preventive treatment can stop the virus if given before symptoms appear. Anyone who may have been exposed to a rabid animal should seek medical help as soon as possible.

Orange County officials shared several tips to help people stay safe from rabies. They said to avoid all contact with wild animals and to make sure cats and dogs are vaccinated. People should also keep windows and doors screened at night so bats cannot get inside a home.

If you see a bat inside your home, do not try to catch it yourself. Close off the room and call animal control to have the bat safely removed. After it is gone, seal any openings in your home where bats might be able to enter.

Other tips include not leaving pet food outside, since it can attract wild animals. If any animal bites you, wash the wound right away with soap and water and flush it well, then contact your doctor. All animal bites should be reported to OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848.

This rabies season has been especially active across Southern California. Los Angeles County reported a record 69 rabid bats in 2026, already matching all of last year's total. Orange County alone has reported 30 cases of rabid bats so far this year, according to the California Department of Public Health.