Overview
- Health officials say the totals align with a decade-long upward trend in rabid-bat detections.
- Findings span suburban San Fernando Valley, downtown buildings, parks, schools, businesses and residential backyards.
- Santa Clarita Valley has recorded the most cases over the past decade, largely involving the Canyon Bat species.
- Residents are urged not to touch bats, to report bats found indoors or acting sick, and to seek medical advice after possible exposure; if safe, have the animal collected for testing.
- Rabies exposure can occur through bites, scratches or contact with saliva or tissue, and late summer typically brings detection spikes, with nearby Riverside and Orange counties reporting recent activity.