Rabies-positive bat found on restaurant table in Vista, officials urge caution
A bat that landed on a table at a Vista, California restaurant tested positive for rabies, prompting health officials to seek anyone who may have had contact with the animal for medical guidance.
A bat entered the Yellow Deli Restaurant in Vista, California, and landed on a family's table on Sunday, July 19. A fellow diner retrieved the animal with a towel and turned it over to the Humane Society in Oceanside. Subsequent testing by the county public health laboratory confirmed the bat was infected with rabies.
San Diego County health officials are attempting to locate anyone who may have touched the bat, including the family at whose table it landed, to determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis is required. The county’s epidemiology veterinarian, Emily Trumbull, said rabies is almost always fatal if treatment is not administered before symptoms appear and advised that exposure can occur through bites or contact with infected saliva on mucous membranes.
The incident marks the 22nd rabies-positive bat identified in the county this year, though officials noted that an increase in human-bat encounters does not necessarily indicate a higher infection rate among bats. Trumbull emphasized that bats are protected wildlife important to the ecosystem and recommended that the public keep a safe distance and avoid handling them. "It's really important to never touch a bat," she told NBC San Diego.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation and will advise any identified contacts on the need for medical treatment.