San Diego public health officials have issued a warning after a rabid bat landed on a family's table at the Yellow Deli Restaurant in Vista on Sunday. The incident has prompted concerns for patrons who may have been exposed.
No direct contact with the bat was reported by diners. A patron captured the bat using a towel and transported it to the Humane Society in Oceanside, where it later tested positive for rabies. This marks the 22nd bat to test positive for rabies in San Diego County this year, surpassing the 21 confirmed cases from 2025 and representing the highest number of rabid bats detected since at least 2021.
Bats are the only species in the county to have tested positive for rabies this year. Health officials are advising anyone who may have touched the bat or had direct contact to wash the exposed area with soap and water and to contact their healthcare provider immediately. Rabies is a fatal disease once symptoms appear, but it is preventable with prompt post-exposure treatment.
State health records indicate the last human rabies case in California occurred in 2024, resulting from exposure to a rabid bat. While rabies is almost always fatal after symptom onset, medical intervention following exposure is highly effective in preventing the disease.
Officials emphasized the ecological importance of bats in San Diego County, noting their role in insect and plant pollination. They reminded residents to maintain a respectful distance from all wildlife and avoid touching or approaching bats or other wild animals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than 10 rabies-related deaths occur annually in the United States.