A California teacher has died after being bitten by a bat that officials believe had rabies. Leah Seneng, 60, found the bat in her classroom in October and tried to scoop it up but was bitten instead. She initially didn’t show symptoms of rabies but fell ill weeks later and died.
Public health officials are warning about the dangers of bats, which are the most common source of human rabies in the US. Although rare, if left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal. In Merced County, 25 bats have been tested for rabies this year, with five confirmed positive cases.
Health experts say that if you encounter an animal exhibiting unusual behavior, such as acting aggressively or having trouble walking, eating, or drinking, it may be infected with rabies. To report a suspected rabid animal, contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services at 833-422-8413 in SB County, or San Luis Obispo County Animal Services at (805) 781-4400.
Source: https://www.ksby.com/news/california-news/california-teacher-dies-after-she-was-bitten-by-a-bat-inside-a-classroom