Multiple states issue rabies alerts as cases rise in wildlife and pets
Health departments in Idaho, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and several other states have issued warnings after confirmed rabies cases in bats, foxes, raccoons, goats and a pet dog, urging residents to avoid contact with wildlife and ensure pet vaccinations.
Health officials across several U.S. states have issued rabies warnings after a surge in confirmed cases among wildlife and a pet dog. Idaho reported 24 rabid bats this year, the highest count in three years, while a public health district there received twice as many exposure calls as the same period last year. In San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas, officials documented 22 rabies cases in wild animals during June-July, a sharp increase from two or three in the same months of the previous two years, and confirmed the first rabid pet dog in the area in more than a decade.
North Carolina health authorities are tracing individuals who may have handled baby goats from a mobile petting zoo after three of the animals tested positive for rabies. Florida issued a 60-day alert for part of Brevard County following a positive raccoon test, and similar alerts were released in Maryland, Alabama, California, Michigan and other states after rabid foxes, raccoons, bats and a skunk-exposed dog were identified.
State agencies emphasized that rabies spreads through bites, scratches or contact with infected saliva on broken skin, eyes, nose or mouth, and warned that while human cases are rare, the disease is fatal without prompt treatment. Residents were advised not to handle bats or other wildlife with bare hands, to report any encounters to local health departments, and to keep pets vaccinated and supervised.
"A bat resting on a wall or other surface during the day does not necessarily need assistance," the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said.
"Contact between pets and wildlife must be taken seriously and reported immediately," San Antonio officials added.
"Their observation and awareness have played an important role in rabies surveillance within the community," said Alabama State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee W. Jones.
Public health messages also urged people to secure garbage, avoid feeding stray animals, and seek medical care promptly after any bite or scratch from a potentially infected animal.