In the United States, rabies appears to be resurging after decades of decline. Recent outbreaks include rabid beavers at a Maryland state park and a cluster of goat cases at a North Carolina petting zoo. Officials in Idaho and Alabama flagged animal case surges, while California reported an annual record of rabid bats.
The CDC issued a national health advisory last month citing local increases in human rabies exposures and a rise in post-exposure prophylaxis use. So far, no human rabies cases have been reported in 2026. However, experts warn the surges may reflect either increased risk or heightened awareness due to social media.
The CDC has lost about 30 percent of its staff since last year, including many rabies team members, and temporarily suspended rabies testing this spring. All paused tests came back online by August 2026. Historically, canine rabies was eliminated in 2007, but today most human cases stem from bat bites.
Multiple wild animal variants circulate, including raccoon, skunk, and bat rabies, which can spill over into livestock and pets. While post-exposure prophylaxis is effective, scientists estimate dozens of additional human rabies deaths may go undetected annually.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing