Rabies Exposure Is Rising? What the 2026 CDC Alert Really Means
Medically Reviewed by: Dr Frank Yap, MD | Written by: OneDayMD Editorial Team | Last Updated: September 2026
Rabies remains rare in people in the United States, but potential rabies exposures are a serious medical issue because the disease is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms begin. A September 2026 CDC alert highlighted increased demand for rabies-related medical evaluation and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), following several high-profile wildlife and animal-exposure events.
However, there is an important distinction between more reported or evaluated exposures and a confirmed nationwide increase in human rabies infections. The information reported in the original article does not establish that human rabies incidence is broadly increasing across the United States.
What changed in September 2026?
The Epoch Times reported on September 11, 2026, that the CDC had issued an alert after seeing increased rabies-related activity. According to that report, CDC received 17% more rabies-related inquiries during July and August 2026 than during the same period in 2025. Pharmacy data available as of September 2 reportedly showed substantially higher utilization of rabies vaccines and rabies-related treatments compared with the previous year.
The same report described several recent mass-exposure or unusual wildlife incidents, including rabid beavers in Maryland and rabies-positive baby goats associated with a mobile petting zoo in North Carolina.
These observations are important for public health, but they should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that rabies infection itself is undergoing a national surge. Increased awareness, unusual exposure events, public-health investigations and greater use of preventive treatment can all increase the number of rabies-related inquiries and PEP administrations without necessarily indicating an equivalent increase in human rabies infections.
Read the original Epoch Times report
Why rabies remains a medical emergency
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the central nervous system. It is transmitted primarily through saliva from an infected mammal, most commonly through a bite. Scratches contaminated with saliva and saliva contacting broken skin or mucous membranes can also represent an exposure.
Once clinical symptoms develop, rabies is almost invariably fatal. The critical opportunity is therefore before symptoms begin. Post-exposure prophylaxis can prevent the virus from progressing to the central nervous system when it is administered appropriately after a qualifying exposure.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies causes tens of thousands of human deaths globally each year, particularly in Asia and Africa. Dogs are responsible for the overwhelming majority of human rabies cases worldwide. In the United States, however, wildlife is the principal reservoir of concern.
Is rabies actually increasing in the United States?
Not necessarily based on the evidence currently available.
The United States has a very different rabies epidemiology from many rabies-endemic parts of the world. Human rabies is rare because of widespread pet vaccination, animal-control programs, surveillance, laboratory testing and access to PEP.
CDC estimates that approximately 1.4 million Americans seek healthcare each year following possible animal contact, while about 100,000 receive rabies PEP. Fewer than 10 human deaths are reported annually in the United States.
CDC also reports approximately 4,000 animal rabies cases annually, with more than 90% occurring in wildlife.
These numbers emphasize an important point: potential exposure is relatively common compared with human rabies itself.
| Measure | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| Rabies-related inquiries | Can reflect concerns, possible exposures and public-health evaluations; an increase does not automatically mean more infections. |
| PEP use | Reflects people considered sufficiently at risk to receive preventive treatment after potential exposure. |
| Animal rabies cases | Provides information about rabies circulation in wildlife and domestic animals. |
| Human rabies cases | The most direct measure of human disease, but cases remain rare in the United States. |
CDC states that from 2015 through 2024, 17 human rabies cases were documented in the United States, including two acquired outside the country.
Why bats deserve special attention
One of the most important messages for the public is that a bat encounter should not be dismissed simply because there is no obvious bite mark.
Bat teeth can produce small or difficult-to-see wounds. A person may also be unaware that contact occurred, especially when the encounter happens while sleeping or when a person is unable to reliably describe what happened.
CDC identifies bats as the leading source of U.S.-acquired human rabies cases. A CDC analysis of U.S. human rabies cases from 2000 through 2024 found that bat contact was implicated in 35 of 42 U.S.-acquired cases, or 83%.
CDC specifically recommends that people who may have had contact with a bat seek medical or public-health evaluation, even when they do not recall being bitten.
CDC: Preventing Rabies from Bats
Two fatal U.S. rabies cases highlight the danger of missed bat exposure
CDC reported two U.S. human rabies deaths in 2024 associated with bat encounters—one in Minnesota and one in California.
In both cases, the individuals knew they had encountered bats but did not seek medical or public-health advice or receive PEP before symptoms developed.
One of the most important lessons was that the absence of a clearly recognized bite did not eliminate the risk.
CDC reviewed 384 people who potentially had contact with the bats or the infected patients. Of those, 45 people, or 12%, were recommended to receive PEP.
CDC concluded that increased awareness of potential rabies exposure after bat encounters—even without a visible bite—could help prevent future deaths.
Recent unusual rabies events: Maryland and North Carolina
Rabid beavers in Maryland
Maryland experienced several unusual beaver incidents during the summer of 2026.
At Cunningham Falls State Park, a 13-year-old swimmer was bitten by a beaver on July 26. The animal subsequently tested positive for rabies. On August 5, a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten by another beaver in the same park, and that animal also tested positive.
A separate beaver attack occurred at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County on August 13. A deceased beaver found nearby subsequently tested positive for rabies, although officials could not confirm that it was the animal involved in the attack.
These incidents were unusual. Maryland officials emphasized that beavers are normally non-aggressive and that the incidents did not establish evidence of a generalized rabies outbreak affecting the wider population.
Maryland DNR: Rabid beavers at Cunningham Falls State Park
Rabies-positive baby goats at a North Carolina mobile petting zoo
North Carolina public-health authorities also reported a highly unusual exposure investigation involving a mobile petting zoo.
Several baby goats associated with Farm Adventures in Harmony, North Carolina, tested positive for rabies in August 2026. Officials said the goats were likely exposed after a skunk entered their pen in late July.
Because the goats had close contact with members of the public at their home location and off-site events, public-health officials asked people who had direct contact with the goats between July 28 and August 27, 2026 to contact their local health department for a risk assessment.
The incident illustrates why rabies precautions cannot be limited to the animals most commonly associated with rabies. Although wildlife such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are much more typical reservoirs in the United States, domestic and farm animals can also become infected.
North Carolina DHHS: Rabies at a mobile petting zoo
How rabies spreads
Rabies is transmitted when infectious material, principally saliva or nervous tissue, enters the body through a bite, a contaminated scratch, broken skin or mucous membranes.
The virus is not transmitted simply by being near an infected animal, and casual contact does not automatically constitute a rabies exposure.
Examples of potentially significant exposures include:
- A bite from a potentially rabid mammal.
- A scratch that may have been contaminated with saliva.
- Saliva entering an open wound.
- Saliva contacting the eyes, nose or mouth.
- Direct bat contact when a bite or scratch cannot be confidently excluded.
Risk assessment depends on the animal species, geographic location, circumstances of the encounter, behavior of the animal, availability of the animal for testing and other epidemiological factors.
What should you do after a possible rabies exposure?
1. Wash the wound immediately
Thorough wound cleansing is one of the most important first steps.
Wash and flush the affected area thoroughly with soap and water for approximately 15 minutes. When available, a virucidal product such as povidone-iodine can be used during wound irrigation.
Do not wait for symptoms before seeking medical advice.
WHO recommends immediate and thorough washing after possible exposure, followed by professional assessment and PEP when indicated.
2. Contact healthcare or public-health professionals urgently
A healthcare professional or public-health authority should perform a rabies exposure risk assessment.
Do not assume that an exposure is safe simply because:
- the wound looks small;
- there is no visible bite mark;
- the animal seemed healthy;
- the encounter happened several days ago; or
- you do not remember being bitten.
These details can matter, but they do not replace a formal risk assessment.
3. Do not capture wildlife yourself
The original article advised readers that, if it could be done safely, they could capture the animal. This wording should be revised.
Members of the public should generally not attempt to capture, restrain or handle a potentially rabid wild animal. Contact animal control, wildlife authorities or the local health department and follow their instructions.
This is especially important with bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes and other wildlife that may bite or scratch during handling.
What is rabies post-exposure prophylaxis?
Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is preventive treatment given after a potential exposure and before symptoms develop.
For a person who has never previously been vaccinated against rabies, CDC's current U.S. PEP regimen includes:
- Immediate and thorough wound care.
- Human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), when indicated.
- A four-dose rabies vaccine series for most immunocompetent people.
Under current CDC guidance, rabies vaccine is administered on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. People with certain immune disorders receive a fifth vaccine dose on day 28 and require additional antibody testing.
People who have previously completed rabies vaccination or pre-exposure prophylaxis generally do not receive HRIG and instead receive two vaccine doses, on days 0 and 3.
CDC's guidance was updated September 10, 2026.
| Situation | Current CDC approach |
|---|---|
| Never vaccinated; qualifying exposure | Wound care + HRIG + vaccine on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. |
| Immunocompromised | Wound care + HRIG + vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28, followed by antibody testing. |
| Previously vaccinated | Wound care + two vaccine doses on days 0 and 3; HRIG is not given. |
Do not use this table as a substitute for individualized medical assessment. Rabies PEP decisions should be made according to the circumstances of the exposure and current public-health guidance.
CDC: Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Guidance
Why HRIG matters
Human rabies immune globulin provides immediate passive antibodies while the vaccine stimulates the person's immune response.
For a person who has never previously been vaccinated, HRIG is an important component of PEP when indicated. CDC recommends infiltrating as much of the dose as possible around the exposure wound, with any remaining amount administered intramuscularly at a site distant from the vaccine.
HRIG should not be administered to someone who was previously vaccinated against rabies.
CDC also emphasizes that HRIG and the first vaccine dose should not be administered in the same syringe or at the same anatomical site.
Common rabies PEP errors
CDC's updated guidance highlights several administration errors that can undermine correct PEP delivery.
- Giving rabies vaccine in the gluteal area rather than the recommended site.
- Administering HRIG and rabies vaccine at the same anatomical site.
- Putting HRIG and vaccine in the same syringe.
- Failing to provide HRIG when it is indicated.
- Using an incorrect vaccination schedule.
CDC states that U.S.-licensed rabies vaccines should be administered intramuscularly in the deltoid area for adults and children, with the anterolateral thigh also acceptable for children. Rabies vaccine should not be administered in the gluteal area.
What are the symptoms of rabies?
Rabies symptoms can initially resemble a nonspecific viral illness. Early symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Weakness or fatigue
- Anxiety or agitation
- Abnormal sensations such as tingling, pain or itching at the exposure site
As the disease progresses, neurological symptoms can develop, including confusion, agitation, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, abnormal sensitivity to air or water stimuli, paralysis, coma and eventually death.
Symptoms can develop weeks or months after exposure. The absence of symptoms shortly after an exposure therefore does not rule out rabies.
Can rabies be prevented?
Yes. Rabies is one of the clearest examples of a disease in which prevention after exposure can save a life.
Three strategies are particularly important:
Vaccinate pets
Keeping dogs, cats and other eligible domestic animals appropriately vaccinated reduces the probability that an infected wildlife encounter becomes a human exposure.
Avoid wildlife contact
Do not approach, feed, touch or attempt to rescue wild animals that appear sick, disoriented, unusually aggressive or otherwise abnormal.
Do not handle dead wildlife with bare hands.
Take bat encounters seriously
A bat found inside a home, particularly in a bedroom where someone was sleeping, deserves careful evaluation because an unnoticed bite cannot always be ruled out.
CDC: Preventing Rabies from Bats
Rabies and international travel
The epidemiology of rabies varies dramatically between countries.
In the United States, bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are important wildlife sources. Globally, however, dogs remain responsible for approximately 99% of human rabies cases.
Travelers visiting rabies-endemic areas should avoid contact with dogs and other mammals and should understand where rabies treatment is available.
Some travelers or people with occupational exposure may be candidates for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Importantly, pre-exposure vaccination does not eliminate the need for medical evaluation after a potential exposure.
Is rabies contagious between people?
Routine person-to-person transmission of rabies is extraordinarily rare. The established concern is exposure to saliva or nervous tissue from an infected mammal.
Rare transmission through organ transplantation has occurred, which is why confirmed human rabies cases trigger extensive public-health investigations.
Casual contact with a person who has rabies is not considered the same kind of exposure as a bite from a rabid animal.
The most important rabies message: don't wait for symptoms
The central public-health lesson from the recent U.S. cases is not that people should be frightened of every wild animal.
It is that people should take genuine exposures seriously and obtain a professional risk assessment promptly.
The two U.S. rabies deaths described by CDC in 2024 were associated with bat encounters in which medical advice and PEP were not obtained before symptoms began. Once clinical rabies develops, prevention is no longer the same proposition as post-exposure prevention.
What the 2026 CDC alert means for the public
The best interpretation of the September 2026 warning is therefore more nuanced than the headline “rabies is on the rise” might suggest.
What is clearly happening: U.S. public-health authorities have dealt with several unusual or high-profile rabies exposure events, and reported rabies-related inquiries and use of PEP increased during the period described by the CDC alert.
What has not been established by those figures: that human rabies infections are undergoing a comparable nationwide increase.
The public-health response is justified because rabies has an unusual risk profile: human infection is rare, but the consequences of untreated infection after symptoms begin are catastrophic. That makes rapid exposure assessment and appropriately administered PEP more important than trying to estimate one's risk from symptoms alone.
Bottom line
Rabies remains rare in the United States, but it should never be treated casually after a genuine animal exposure.
The September 2026 CDC warning is best understood as a signal of increased rabies-related exposure activity and demand for preventive treatment, rather than definitive evidence of a nationwide surge in human rabies infections.
Bats deserve particular attention because they account for most U.S.-acquired human rabies cases. Unusual wildlife behavior, bites, scratches, saliva exposure and unexplained direct bat contact should prompt immediate professional assessment.
The practical rule is simple:
Wash the wound immediately. Avoid further contact with the animal. Contact healthcare or public-health professionals promptly. Do not wait for rabies symptoms.
Evidence grading
Evidence level: E3–E5, depending on the claim.
Core medical recommendations concerning rabies exposure, PEP and vaccine administration are based on CDC/ACIP and WHO guidance and therefore represent high-authority clinical/public-health recommendations. Claims about the September 2026 increase in inquiries and pharmacy utilization are based on the contemporaneous report of a CDC alert cited by the original article and should not be interpreted as surveillance evidence of a nationwide increase in human rabies incidence.
Sources and further reading
CDC — Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Guidance, updated September 10, 2026
CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health
CDC MMWR — Human Rabies Deaths: Minnesota and California, 2024
CDC — Preventing Rabies from Bats
WHO — Rabies Fact Sheet
North Carolina DHHS — Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo
Maryland DNR — Rabid Beavers at Cunningham Falls State Park
Frequently Asked Questions
Is rabies increasing in the United States in 2026?
There are signs of increased rabies-related inquiries and use of post-exposure prophylaxis, according to the September 2026 alert reported in the original article. However, those figures alone do not establish a nationwide increase in human rabies infections.
Can a bat transmit rabies without leaving a visible bite?
Yes. Bat bites can be small or inapparent. A person who has had possible direct contact with a bat should seek professional risk assessment even when no obvious bite is visible.
What should I do immediately after a possible rabies exposure?
Wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water for approximately 15 minutes and seek urgent medical or public-health advice about whether PEP is indicated.
Do previously vaccinated people receive rabies immune globulin?
No. Under current CDC guidance, previously vaccinated people generally receive two vaccine doses, on days 0 and 3, and should not receive HRIG.
How many rabies vaccine doses are currently recommended in the United States?
For most people who have never been vaccinated and require PEP, CDC currently recommends four vaccine doses on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. Immunocompromised patients receive a fifth dose on day 28 and require additional evaluation.
Is touching a wild animal always a rabies exposure?
No. Rabies exposure depends on the type of contact and whether infectious saliva or nervous tissue had a route into the body. A healthcare professional or public-health authority should make the risk assessment when the circumstances are uncertain.
@doctormyro If you get bitten by a wild animal, seek treatment before these symptoms appear! #rabies #medical #doctor #disease ♬ original sound - Dr. Myro Figura, MD
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