Health

Rabid Bats in Los Angeles Break Record: 76 Confirmed, Residents Warned

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 18, 2026•3 min read

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed a new record: 76 rabid bats detected in 2026, the highest ever recorded. A raccoon in Westlake Village also tested positive for rabies; a dog and four workers received post-exposure treatment.

Key Facts

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed a new record: 76 rabid bats detected in 2026 — the highest number ever recorded, surpassing last year's record of 69.
Rabid bats have been 'found in every part' of Los Angeles County — from suburban areas like the San Fernando Valley to downtown Los Angeles, including office buildings, parks, schools, businesses, and residential backyards.
On World Rabies Day, September 28, 2026, DPH reported 69 rabid bats — matching the 2025 record while peak season was still underway; the count has since risen to 76.
A raccoon in the Westlake Village area tested positive for a bat-strain rabies; officials say the case shows local conditions do not determine risk.
A dog that came into contact with that raccoon, plus four yard workers nearby, have received post-exposure rabies treatment in the form of follow-up shots.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but it can be prevented if treatment is given soon after exposure.
Rabies spreads through bites, scratches, or infected saliva entering a wound, the eyes, nose, or mouth.
August 2026 was the busiest month: 24 rabid bats were confirmed, with nearly 1 in 3 bats submitted by residents testing positive.

Record 76 Rabid Bats Confirmed

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed a new record for rabies-infected bats in 2026: 76 so far this year — the highest number ever recorded and surpassing last year's record of 69. The updated figure was reported by The Sun on Sunday (18/10/2026), citing a fresh department statement.

According to DPH, rabid bats have been 'found in every part' of Los Angeles County — from suburban areas such as the San Fernando Valley to urban areas like downtown Los Angeles, including in office buildings, parks, schools, businesses, and residential backyards.

The trend is no surprise. On World Rabies Day, September 28, DPH reported 69 confirmed rabid bats — matching the 2025 record while peak bat season was still underway. Three weeks later, the count climbed to 76. August was the busiest month: 24 rabid bats were confirmed, with nearly 1 in 3 bats submitted by residents for testing coming back positive.

Raccoon and Dog Infected, Workers Treated

Beyond bats, a raccoon in the Westlake Village area tested positive for rabies — believed to have contracted a bat-carried rabies strain before spreading the virus there. Officials said the case proves that neighborhood conditions do not determine the level of risk.

A dog that came into contact with that raccoon, plus four yard workers nearby, have undergone post-exposure rabies treatment in the form of follow-up shots. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear in both animals and humans, but the disease can be prevented if treatment is given soon after exposure.

Rabies spreads through bites, scratches, or the saliva of an infected animal entering a wound, the eyes, nose, or mouth. DPH urges residents never to touch bats or any wild animals and to immediately report to local animal control any bat found indoors, or one that appears sick, active during the day, unable to fly, or dead.