Health officials in San Diego County are issuing a public warning after a bat found inside San Diego Zoo Safari Park tested positive for rabies. The bat, discovered on Monday at 2:15 p.m., was not part of the park's exhibit and was found in an area off-limits to guests. Visitors to the park who did not have physical contact with the bat are at no risk for rabies, but there's an ongoing search for anyone who might have come into contact with the animal.
The bat made an unscheduled landing from the roof of the Africa Tram loading zone, a staff-only area, where a Safari Park employee promptly retrieved it. After the animal's condition worsened and it died, it was sent to a County facility to be tested for rabies, and the results came back positive. The County advised individuals or groups near the Africa Tram to seek medical advice if they came into contact with the bat before its capture.
In a statement by Dr. Ankita Kadakia, County interim public health officer, "Human rabies is usually fatal without prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment." She continues, "Rabies transmission can happen from a bat bite or if a bat’s saliva comes in contact with a cut or abrasion, or with mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose, or mouth.” This incident marks the fifth rabid bat detected in the region so far this year, as reported on the County News Center website.
