Rabid bat found near popular SoCal hiking trail prompts warning for hikers and pet owners
The discovery of a rabid bat on a popular hiking trail has prompted officials to put hikers and pet owners on high alert.
Rabies is a virus health officials warn is almost always fatal once symptoms set in.
The bat was discovered around 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, near the popular Mesa Trail, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Officials issued an immediate public warning, stressing that rabies can be transmitted through bites so small people may not even realize they’ve been exposed. In many cases, victims never feel the bite at all.
Anyone who may have touched the bat — or saw someone else handle it — is urged to immediately contact the agency’s Communicable Disease Control Division. Pet owners whose animals may have come into contact with the bat should contact their veterinarian right away.
