California Finds 368 Rabid Animals, Highest Since 1998 as Surveillance Delays Cloud Trend
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Oct 28
California Finds 368 Rabid Animals, Highest Since 1998 as Surveillance Delays Cloud Trend
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Oct 28
Summary
California has identified at least 368 rabid animals in 2026 — the state's highest count since 1998 — with most cases concentrated in Southern California and involving bats or skunks.
Delayed surveillance data means experts still cannot tell whether infections are truly rising, where human exposure is increasing, or which animals are driving any broader shift.
Westlake Village produced Los Angeles County's first rabid raccoons since 1973, found three weeks apart; both carried the bat variant, easing fears of a raccoon-specific strain for now.
State health officials said public risk remains low, but repeated spillover into raccoons could create a new reservoir if transmission continues.
CDC data show people receiving rabies immunoglobulin after possible exposure jumped 76% nationally, underscoring the stakes because rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear.