Overview
- The bat discovered on Oct. 24 near Little People’s Park at Portola Valley Town Center tested positive for rabies, according to San Mateo County Health.
- County investigators have identified no human or animal exposures and will post public notices if potential contacts cannot be located; officials say there is no continuing public risk from these incidents.
- Rabies spreads via the saliva of infected animals, typically through bites, does not spread through casual contact or proximity, and is almost always fatal once symptoms begin but preventable with prompt post‑exposure vaccination.
- The Portola Valley case is the county’s second confirmed rabid bat this year after another was found the same day in Half Moon Bay, aligning with the long‑term average of about two cases annually; the previous local detection was in 2023.
- Residents are urged not to handle bats, to keep pets’ rabies vaccinations current, and to report sick, injured, or dead bats to the Peninsula Humane Society at 650-340-7022.