A total 32 rabid bats have been found in Los Angeles County, with 11 of them being found in the Santa Clarita Valley, in 2016 as of September 27.

A total of 13 people and 10 pets were considered to be potentially exposed to them and were therefore referred for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or quarantined, 56 percent of them were found at private residences, 31 percent of them were found indoors (six in homes and four in businesses. Last year only one rabid bat was found indoors.

Of note, in 2016 there appear to be three areas of geographic clustering of rabid bats:

Twelve rabid bats have been found in an area just north of Downtown Los Angeles, with some being found in Glendale and Burbank.

Nine rabid bats have been found in the city of Santa Clarita and two in the Santa Clarita Valley. For the past several years, Santa Clarita has had more rabid bats than other areas of the county.

Three rabid bats have been found in La Cañada Flintridge. Two of the three were found in the same block.

1. Calabasas. January. Bat found alive outdoors at a school.

2. La Canada Flintridge. March. Bat found outdoors at a public park.

3. Los Angeles (Downtown). April. Bat found in 23rd floor of an office building.

4. Castaic. April. Bat found on ground outside of a garage at a home.

5. Los Angeles (northern Griffith Park area). April. Bat found alive on ground in a park.

6. Santa Clarita (Newhall). May. Bat flew into home through an open door and landed in kitchen sink.

7. Los Angeles (northern Griffith Park area). May. Bat found alive on ground in a park.

8. Santa Clarita (Newhall). June. Dog found bat in back yard, ate part of bat. Two dogs in home put under home quarantine/rabies observation.

9. Los Angeles (northern Griffith Park area). June. Bat found alive on ground in a park.

10. Monrovia. June. Bat found alive outside on a porch, underneath a chair.

11. Glendale (southern end). June. Bat was hanging from a wall. It fell to the ground.

12. Santa Clarita (Newhall area). June. Found bat crawling on garage floor at a home.

13. Glendale (southern end). June. Bat found alive outdoors at a home.

14. Glendale (southern end). July. Juvenile bat found on sidewalk outside of a business. A resident picked it up and delivered it to a veterinary practice. This situation presented a risk of rabies exposure for the resident. Bat bites can be very small (especially bites form a juvenile bat) and may not be immediately recognized by the bite victim as presenting the risk of rabies transmission.

15. Glendale (southern end). July. Bat found on ground in parking lot at an apartment building.

16. La Cañada Flintridge. July. Bat found in driveway of a home.

17. Los Angeles (Elyisian Valley area). July. Bat found in alley behind a business.

18. Santa Clarita (Canyon Country). August. Bat found on street.

19. Santa Clarita (Newhall). August. Bat found by window inside a house.

20. Burbank. August. Bat found on the grounds of a school, not near students.

21. Calabasas. August. Bat found on floor in room on the second story of a home in the morning.

22. La Cañada Flintridge. August. Bat found on ground near front door of a home.

23. Santa Clarita. August. Bat found alive outside a real estate office. No reported exposures.

24. Glendale. August. Bat found alive on indoor basketball court. No reported exposures.

25. Lake Balboa. August. Bat found alive in home where 2 people and 3 cats live. People to receive PEP and cats to be quarantined.

26. Encino. August. Bat brought into house by cat. No human exposure, 2 cats will be under quarantine.

27. Santa Clarita (Saugus). August. Bat found outside of a business early in the morning.

28. Los Angeles (Porter Ranch). September. Bat found flying around inside a home, unknown how long it had been inside, people potentially exposed.

29. Glendale. September. Bat found on indoor basketball court.

30. Stevenson Ranch. September. Bat found near hedges outside of a home.

31. Santa Clarita (Valencia area). September. Bat found on ground in front yard of a home.

32. Santa Clarita (Valencia area). September. Bat found dead in a driveway.

Bats are the animals that are most commonly diagnosed with rabies in Los Angeles County. However, only about 1 percent of bats in nature are infected with rabies.

Most bats do not have rabies. They try to avoid contact with people and pets. Bats are good for the environment because they eat insects and pollinate plants. Bats are also protected by law.

However, bats seen flying in daylight, or found on the ground, are more likely to have rabies.

Never touch a bat or other wild animal. If you pick up a bat with your bare hands, you may be bitten and exposed to rabies.
Bats that bite a person or pet should be tested for rabies. The bite mark from a bat can be very small and hard to see.

Bats that are found indoors near a sleeping person, young child, adult that cannot speak, or pet should also be tested for rabies. In these cases, try to gently trap the bat without touching it (such as covering it with a bucket), and call your local animal control agency. You should also talk to your doctor and/or veterinarian in these situations.

Bats that are found indoors near a sleeping person, young child, adult that cannot speak, or pet should also be tested for rabies. In these cases, try to gently trap the bat without touching it (such as covering it with a bucket), and call your local animal control agency. To see a list of local animal control agencies, click here. You should also talk to your doctor and/or veterinarian in these situations.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture:

Despite being 100 percent preventable, rabies continues to claim an estimated 59,000 human lives annually as well killing a considerable number of wild and domestic animals. Rabies also has significant economic impacts. An estimated 29 million people receive post-bite treatment worldwide every year to prevent rabies after dog bites at a direct cost of over $1.7 billion and total rabies related economic losses are estimated at $8.6 billion a year. Rabies remains a threat due to lack of awareness, poor coordination of rabies control efforts and inadequate surveillance and monitoring of rabies.

September 28 was World Rabies Day.