A \u201cnearly 100% fatal\u201d disease is the rise across the United States, prompting federal officials to issue a nationwide health alert.<\/p>\n
Since July, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen a sharp increase in the number of people exposed to rabies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, officials in several California counties have reported increases in animals testing positive for the deadly viral disease \u2014 specifically bats.<\/p>\n
How common is rabies in California, and what are the health risks? What should you do if you\u2019re bitten by a rabid animal?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you should know:<\/p>\n
![\"Rabies](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1ceb9055-c5ad-41ce-b478-417da40fb15d.jpeg\" "\\"1ceb9055-c5ad-41ce-b478-417da40fb15d\\"")
Rabies is transmitted through bites and scratches from infected animals, including bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks. Northern Colorado Wildlife Cente TNS What is rabies?<\/p>\n
Rabies is a deadly but preventable viral disease<\/a> that primarily affects the central nervous system, the CDC said.<\/p>\n Rabies is \u201cnearly 100% fatal,\u201d the federal health agency said, but can be prevented when \u201cpeople who have been exposed receive appropriate administration of the rabies vaccine before symptoms begin.\u201d<\/p>\n The disease, which spreads through bites and scratches from infected animals, is most commonly carried by bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks.<\/p>\n People whose jobs involve frequent contact with animals, including agricultural workers, animal control workers and veterinarians, face higher risks of rabies exposure, the CDC said.<\/p>\n According to the CDC, an estimated 1.4 million people seek medical care after coming to contact with animals in the United States.<\/p>\n Approximately 100,000 people receive medical care for rabies annually following potential exposure, the CDC said.<\/p>\n In California, rabies is found in about 200 animals each year, most of them wild, according to the California Department of Public Health.<\/p>\n \u201cRabies infects very few humans in the United States and California,\u201d the state Public Health Agency said.<\/p>\n A total of 17 people have been infected with rabies in California since 1980, most recently in 2024<\/a>, state officials said.<\/p>\n In humans, early rabies symptoms are \u201cvery similar to those of the flu<\/a>,\u201d the Mayo Clinic said.<\/p>\n According to the CDC, initial signs of rabies<\/a> can include weakness or discomfort, fever or headache, as well as discomfort, prickling or an itching sensation at the site of the bite.<\/p>\n Experts say signs of \u201cadvanced rabies\u201d include:<\/p>\n AnxietyConfusionAgitationHallucinationsBeing very thirsty but panicked by fluidsHaving lots of salivaAggressive behavior like thrashing and biting<\/p>\n \u201cNearly all people infected with rabies will go into a coma and die one to two weeks after the start of symptoms,\u201d according to the California Department of Public Health.<\/p>\n On Sept. 10, the CDC issued a Health Alert Network health advisory in response to \u201crecent reports of increases in human exposures to rabid or possibly rabid animals<\/a>\u201d and as well as errors administering post-exposure medication.<\/p>\n Since July, the CDC said, multiple U.S. jurisdictions have reported \u201clocal increases\u201d in people being exposed to rabies.<\/p>\n From July through August, the CDC said it received 17% more rabies-related inquiries than during the same period in 2025, including \u201creports of mass exposure events.\u201d<\/p>\n During this time frame, at least eight state health departments reported increased use of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis<\/a> as well as PEP administration errors.<\/p>\n As of Sept. 2, demand for two rabies vaccines had increased roughly 33 % in 2026 compared to the same period the previous year, according to weekly pharmacy data tracked by the CDC.<\/p>\n Use of two rabies immunoglobulins, which are given immediately after exposure to prevent the virus from taking root, increased 76% year-over-year, the CDC said.<\/p>\n Where are rabies cases being reported in California?<\/p>\n Multiple counties in California have reported rising numbers of animals testing positive for rabies so far in 2026.<\/p>\n In the Bay Area, five rabies-positive bats were found in residential and commercial neighbors in west and north Berkeley, the Berkeley Public Health Division confirmed Aug. 26.<\/p>\n The city has seen zero to two rabid bats annually from 2020 to 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cNo human rabies cases have been identified in the city of Berkeley,\u201d officials said.<\/p>\n In June, Alameda County officials confirmed that a domestic cat in Pleasanton had tested positive for rabies<\/a>.<\/p>\n A dead bat found floating in a Sutter swimming poo<\/a>l in July tested positive for rabies, according to Sutter County officials.<\/p>\n Sutter County health officials also confirmed a bat captured inside a Yuba City home<\/a> in August was rabid, The Sacramento Bee previously reported.<\/p>\n It was the third rabid bat found in the area in recent months, The Sacramento Bee reported in early September.<\/p>\n Also in September, Yosemite National Park<\/a> officials confirmed that a big brown bat found dead outside the Curry Village Showerhouse in May tested positive for rabies<\/a>, The Fresno Bee reported.<\/p>\n As of Sept. 11, Los Angeles County had recorded 61 cases of rabid bat<\/a> so far in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cRabies in bats has increased in the past few years in Los Angeles County,\u201d the Los Angeles County Public Health Department said on its website.\u201d About 15% to 20% of bats tested locally have rabies, but less than 1% of healthy bats in the wild carry the virus.\u201d<\/p>\n In San Diego County, 43 bats had tested positive for rabies<\/a> as of March.<\/p>\n Neither CDC officials nor local officials have identified a single clear cause<\/a> behind the uptick.<\/p>\n What should I do if I was exposed to rabies?<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone who has been bitten, scratched or otherwise potentially exposed to a rabid animal should promptly contact a healthcare provider or public health department for guidance,\u201d the CDC said in its health advisory.<\/p>\n Each year, about 100,000 people in the United States are inoculated with the rabies vaccine after being exposed to the disease, the CDC said.<\/p>\n People exposed to rabies receive four to five shots of the vaccine, which is nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease from developing.<\/p>\n The CDC said clinicians should \u201cconduct careful, evidence-based rabies risk assessments\u201d and follow current recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices when post-exposure vaccination or treatment is needed.<\/p>\n How can I prevent the spread of rabies?<\/p>\n According to the California Department of Public Health, you should be wary of animals exhibiting \u201cstrange or unnatural behavior.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Wild animals with rabies may seem unusually tame or unafraid to approach people. Critters normally active at night may appear during the day.<\/p>\n You should also look out for pets that have trouble walking, eating or drinking, or show a personality change.<\/p>\n To protect yourself and your pets from animal bites, the state agency said, you should:<\/p>\n Leave all wild animals alone. Do not approach, touch or feed any animals that you don\u2019t know.Never adopt or bring wild animals into your home.Remove food that attracts wild animals by keeping garbage in closed, secure containers.Don\u2019t leave pet food outside overnight.Seal holes or gaps in your home where bats and other animals could enter.Take extra care to avoid animals when traveling abroad.<\/a>Always ask permission before you approach or try to pet another person\u2019s dog that you don\u2019t know.Keep pet cats indoors as much as possible.If you take your pets off your property, keep them on a leash and under your control at all time<\/p>\n Loading\u2026<\/p>\n This story was originally published September 15, 2026 at 1:21 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"Rabies](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/749ce6d7-ab2a-497a-87db-11ad978e5c69.jpeg\" "\\"749ce6d7-ab2a-497a-87db-11ad978e5c69\\"")
Rabies is found in about 200 animals each year in California. J. Scott Altenbach\/Bat Conservat USA TODAY Network, Reuters How common is rabies in California and the US?<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Rabies_Deaths_25514.jpg\" "\\"Rabies_Deaths_25514.jpg\\"")
This undated electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows rabies virions, dark and bullet-shaped, within an infected tissue sample. F. A. Murphy CDC What are common signs of rabies?<\/p>\n![\"One](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9ca1456e-859b-447e-b018-a140716912cd.jpeg\" "\\"9ca1456e-859b-447e-b018-a140716912cd\\"")
One dose of rabies vaccine. Provided by USA TODAY Network USA TODAY Network, Reuters Exposure to rabies, demand for vaccines increase in US<\/p>\n