Rabid Bat Exposures Rise Nationwide

Health officials are reporting more encounters between people and bats, along with a national rise in reported human rabies exposures, but Ohio experts say the higher number of bats testing positive locally reflects more bats being submitted for testing—not a higher-than-usual positivity rate. Recent incidents include a child’s contact with a rabid bat in Yuba City, four human exposures in Humboldt County over two months, and a rabid bat in Clark County, Ohio, whose handler is receiving preventive treatment. Officials urge people not to touch bats, to keep pets vaccinated, and to seek prompt medical advice after a bite, scratch, or possible exposure, including finding a bat in a room with a sleeping person or young child.