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Bat in OC tests positives for rabies

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Published  October 23, 2025 10:48am PDT
Health
FOX 11

The Brief

    • A bat found on the sidewalk of the 500 block of S. Main Street in Orange has tested positive for rabies.
    • Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, making prompt preventive treatment essential after any suspected exposure.
    • Anyone who had physical contact with the bat should immediately call the OC Health Care Agency (714-834-8180) for risk assessment and potential treatment.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - A bat discovered last week on a sidewalk in Orange has tested positive for rabies, leading Orange County health officials to issue a public health warning on Wednesday. 

What we know:

The rabid bat was found on October 16 around 2 p.m. on the west side of the 500 block of South Main Street, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Officials have urged anyone who touched the bat or witnessed another person handle it to contact the agency's Communicable Disease Control Division at 714-834-8180. T

Pet owners whose animals may have come into contact with the bat should immediately contact their veterinarian. 

Rabies is typically spread through the saliva of infected animals, usually via a bite. Rare cases of transmission have occurred through contact with the eyes, mouth, or an open wound.

What they're saying:

Local officials issued a strong caution regarding the severity of the disease. 

"Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal," the agency said in a statement. 

They also noted that preventive treatment is safe and effective if it is administered promptly after possible exposure. Officials also pointed out that most U.S. human rabies cases in recent years have been traced to bats, whose small bites can go unnoticed.

What you can do:

The OC Health Care Agency and OC Animal Care provided a list of safety tips for residents to help prevent rabies exposure:

  • Avoid contact with wild animals.
  • Vaccinate cats and dogs against rabies.
  • Do not sleep with unscreened windows or doors open.
  • Contact animal control if bats are found inside a home or building.
  • Do not leave pet food outside where it could attract wild animals.
  • Wash animal bites immediately with soap and water and seek medical care.
  • Report animal bites to OC animal care at 714-935-6848.

The Source: Information for this story is from the Orange County Health Care Agency.

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