PASADENA, CA — Pasadena health officials are warning residents to avoid contact with bats after a rabid bat was found near the baseball field at Brenner Park last week.
The Pasadena Public Health Department said the bat was discovered around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. It was the second bat infected with rabies reported in Pasadena this year.
No human cases of rabies have been reported, and officials said the overall risk to the public remains low.
"Bats can carry rabies and should never be handled," Public Health Director Manuel Carmona said. "Community members should avoid contact with and immediately report injured, ill, or dead bats."
Residents should never handle bats with bare hands and should report injured, sick or dead bats to local animal control or public health officials, according to the department.
Rabies can be transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal and can be life-threatening without timely preventive treatment, Health Officer Dr. Parveen Kaur said.
"Any contact by humans or pets with a rabid bat is a very serious health concern," Kaur said.
Anyone whose skin comes into contact with a bat should immediately wash the area with soap and water and seek medical care, according to health officials.
Residents who find a dead or dying bat should not touch it and should contact Pasadena Humane at 626-792-7151 to arrange for collection.
Anyone bitten by an animal should contact a medical provider as soon as possible. Pet owners whose animals may have been exposed to a bat should contact an emergency veterinarian.
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