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Officials: People possibly exposed to rabies after touching bat at California cafe

By Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

LOS ANGELES — People have been possibly exposed to rabies after touching a bat at a cafe in California, according to public health officials.

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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning patrons of a potential rabies exposure at Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch.

KNBC says the possible exposure happened at the cafe on Saturday, June 4 when a group of adults and possibly some children handled the bat. It’s not clear if the bat had rabies or not because the authorities could not test it. Rabies can be passed through saliva or bites from the bats if they have it. KNBC says the most common source of rabies in Los Angeles County comes from bats.

“It’s important to get preventative treatment after a possible rabies exposure because once symptoms start, like lockjaw, fever, weakness, and headache, that death from respiratory failure can quickly occur,” according to KNBC.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, rabies is a virus that affects the nervous system of animals and people.

“The disease is progressive and, once symptoms start, can rapidly cause death from respiratory failure. Initial symptoms of rabies in people are fever, weakness, and headache, which progress to a tingling sensation, anxiety, agitation, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, coma, and death. Rabies is preventable but not treatable. Animals infected with rabies may show signs of aggression and illness or they may become more timid or they can show no signs of illness. In LA County rabies is most commonly found in bats. Bats may carry rabies and not show any signs of illness,” according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, there are the symptoms of rabies:

  • Fever
  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Tingling sensation
  • Anxiety
  • Agitation
  • Abnormal behavior
  • Hallucinations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Coma
  • Death

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says that if you or anyone you know came into contact with the bat at the cafe, call your doctor for an evaluation or visit the public health’s website for more information.


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