REEDLEY – A coincidental case of two dead bats — one in Fresno and one in Reedley — that were confirmed to have rabies has opened up the opportunity for Fresno County and the city of Reedley to remind residents of important public health precautions.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH) issued a joint news release with the city of Reedley on Feb. 7 imploring residents to take caution around wild animals, protect their pets and spread awareness of safety steps. Regarding the dead bat found in Reedley, City Manager Nicole Zieba said there’s “no need for concern, just a reminder to be cautious.”
“While no known human exposures have been reported at this time, residents are urged to take necessary precautions to protect themselves, their families and their pets,” the FCDPH press release said.
Zieba said the dead bat found in Reedley was located on the west side of the Kings River, while the bat found in Fresno was on the Fresno City College campus. A “very aware neighbor” spotted the bat in Reedley and took the proper steps to call the health department and report it.
As rabies is highly prevalent in bats, the presence of a bat with rabies in more rural and natural areas, like by the Kings River, is not uncommon. Still, following the November 2024 death of a teacher who was bitten by a bat in Merced County, Zieba said FCDPH thought it would be a good opportunity to remind the public of the necessary safety precautions related to rabies.
“In our particular case, it’s nice that there’s no human interaction,” she said.
FCDPH also cautioned that several feral cats in Reedley may have been in contact with the dead bat before it was secured; the resident who reported the bat witnessed cats playing with it before calling the health department.
Unvaccinated animals, like feral cats, may begin to experience rabies symptoms and die from the disease within seven to 10 days of exposure. If a cat was bitten, it would likely go off by itself to die, and so the health department is not concerned about rabies spreading among the feral cat population or to domesticated pets, Zieba said.
Rabies is a viral disease that can spread to humans and animals through bites or scratches from an infected animal. Although few people in the United States die from the disease every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that it still poses a serious public health threat because of its high rate of death in people.
According to the CDC, 90% of U.S. rabies cases in animals occur in wildlife; primarily bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. Thanks to rabies vaccines, the disease is uncommon in domestic dogs in the U.S., but rabid dogs are responsible for more than 95% of an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 human deaths that occur each year globally.
With that in mind, Fresno County residents should be sure to vaccinate their pets — both dogs and cats — against rabies and avoid contact with wild animals. Residents should also report any unusual animal behavior, especially within 10 days of the FCDPH report released on Feb. 7. Unusual behavior includes nocturnal animals active in the day, aggression and difficulty moving.
Anyone who is bitten by an animal, especially a bat or other animal that could have rabies should report the bite with the FCDPH Environmental Health Division at 559-600-3357 or through an online form.
Residents can report unusual animal behavior or dead animals to Reedley animal control by calling police dispatch at 559-638-2122.
