Rabies-Infected Bat Found On Oceanside Sidewalk

OCEANSIDE, CA — County public health officials on Wednesday were looking for people who may have come into contact with a rabies-infected bat found on a sidewalk in Oceanside.

The wild bat was found on July 18 on a sidewalk on Westport Drive between Point Sur and Marina Del Rey Avenue, and later tested positive for rabies, according to the County of San Diego Communications Office.

County health officials urged anyone in the area and had direct contact with the bat, or knows of someone who may have touched the bat, to contact County Public Health Services at 619-692-8499.

Rabies is a preventable viral disease that is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal, according to county health officials.

Symptoms of rabies in people can take weeks to months to develop. Once symptoms develop, rabies is usually fatal, but prompt post-exposure treatment following exposure to the virus will prevent the disease, officials said.

"Human rabies is usually fatal without prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment," said Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, county public health officer.

"Rabies transmission can happen from a bat bite or if a bat's saliva comes in contact with a cut or abrasion, or with mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose or mouth," Thihalolipavan said. "Although bats can carry rabies, they are an important part of nature in San Diego County. It is important to respect the space of wildlife and do not touch them."

Officials have detected seven rabid bats so far in 2025 throughout the county.

There are many species of bats found in the county that feed on insects such as mosquitoes. Other bat species feed on nectar from plants and pollinate them in the process.

Officials advised anyone who comes in contact with a bat to wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and get medical advice immediately.