San Diego County public health officials have issued a warning to patrons of the Yellow Deli Restaurant in Vista following an incident on Sunday where a rabid bat landed on a family's table. The county is advising anyone who may have come into contact with the bat to contact their healthcare provider.
No direct physical contact with the bat was reported. A diner used a towel to collect the animal and transported it to the Humane Society in Oceanside, where it subsequently tested positive for rabies. This bat is the 22nd to test positive for rabies in San Diego County this year, surpassing the 21 confirmed cases in 2025 and marking the highest number of rabid bats recorded since at least 2021, according to county data. Bats are the only species to have tested positive for rabies in the county this year.
Officials reminded the public to maintain a respectful distance from wildlife and to avoid touching or approaching bats or any wild animals. In the event of direct contact with a bat, the exposed area should be washed thoroughly with soap, and medical advice should be sought promptly. Rabies is a serious and potentially fatal disease, but it is preventable with timely post-exposure treatment. Symptoms can take weeks or months to appear, and once they manifest, the disease is almost invariably fatal.
The state of California has not recorded a human case of rabies since 2024, when a resident of Fresno County was exposed to a rabid bat. Health officials emphasized the ecological importance of bats, noting that many species inhabit San Diego County and play vital roles in the ecosystem, such as consuming insects like mosquitoes and pollinating plants as they feed on nectar. Bats are most active around sunset. Fewer than 10 Americans die from rabies annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.