Rabies Warning Issued Across Several States as Cases Rise

Health officials in several states have sent out rabies warnings after infected animals were found this year. The animals include bats, raccoons, foxes, goats, and a pet dog. The warnings stretch from Idaho and Texas to North Carolina and Florida. Officials are urging people to protect themselves and their pets before the disease spreads further.

In Idaho, 24 rabid bats have been found so far this year — more than in any of the past three years. One local health district has gotten more than twice as many calls about possible bat contact as it had at this time last year. A rabid bat was confirmed on July 14 in Blaine County, marking the first confirmed case in that part of the state this year.

State officials are not sure why more people are running into bats. Idaho's growing population may be bringing more people into areas where bats live. Smoke from wildfires might also be changing how bats move around. About 1 in every 100 wild bats carries rabies, and you cannot tell just by looking at one whether it is infected.

In San Antonio, Texas, a pet dog tested positive for rabies after it killed a baby skunk in late July. Over the following weeks, the dog started acting strangely and showed signs of a brain problem. On August 18, a lab confirmed the dog had rabies — the area's first case in a pet dog in more than ten years. San Antonio also saw 22 rabies cases in wild animals during June and July, compared to just two or three during the same months in earlier years.

City officials warned that contact between pets and wildlife must be taken seriously and reported right away. They urged pet owners to make sure their dogs and cats are vaccinated. They also said pets should not be allowed to roam freely outside without supervision.

In Alabama, a fox found on private property in Autauga County tested positive for rabies on August 18. The property owner noticed the fox was acting strangely and having trouble moving. No people were exposed, but two vaccinated dogs may have come into contact with the fox and were given booster shots.

In North Carolina, health officials are trying to find everyone who may have come into contact with baby goats from a mobile petting zoo called Farm Adventures. Three goats tested positive for rabies, and a fourth is believed to have been infected too. Officials think a skunk got into the goats' pen in late July and spread the virus. The goats appeared at events in at least seven counties between July 28 and August 27.

In Florida, the health department issued a 60-day rabies alert for part of Brevard County after a raccoon tested positive on August 27. The alert warns that the virus is present in the local wild animal population. Residents are told to avoid wild or stray animals and to keep their pets vaccinated and on leashes.

In Michigan, a bat in Saginaw County tested positive for rabies, adding to 32 infected animals found statewide as of August 10. If a bat gets inside your home, officials say not to panic and not to chase it out. Instead, leave the room, close the doors, turn off the lights, and open a window or door so the bat can fly out on its own.

Rabies is a serious disease that can spread through a bite, scratch, or infected saliva that touches broken skin or the eyes or mouth. It is rare in people in the United States, but it is almost always fatal if not treated before symptoms begin. Experts say the best way to stay safe is to vaccinate your pets, avoid wild animals, and report any unusual animal behavior to local health officials right away.