A bat found July 11 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park tested positive for rabies, prompting county health officials to ask anyone who directly touched it to call immediately.
The dead wild bat was found at 12:10 p.m. at the Oasis on the Rocks restaurant, collected by a trained employee and confirmed positive after lab testing on July 13.
No human contact has been reported so far, and officials said only direct contact such as touching or holding the bat would create rabies risk.
This is San Diego County's 19th rabid bat in 2026, after 21 bats tested positive in 2025.
Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms begin, but prompt treatment after exposure is highly effective; California's most recent human case was reported in 2024.