<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2DvNV0_1H3fRaYt00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2DvNV0_1H3fRaYt00" width="1200" height="800" ></figure>On October 20, an email was sent to the entire student body at Foothill, warning that a bat tested positive for rabies was found on Foothill College campus. Students were shocked, because this incident raised questions on how to stay safe around wildlife and where to seek help if bitten.The Santa Clara County Vector Control first found the rabid bat on Thursday October 15 and notified the Police Department to put up cautionary signage on campus. The signs went up the following Monday on October 19, a day before the school issued the campus-wide email alerting students to the situation.According to the school police, the dead bat was found at a location near campus on El Monte near the entrance to the college.Students are warned to always be careful and be cautious with wildlife and rabies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, contact with an infected bat, such as the bat found near campus, is the leading cause of death by rabies in the U.S. At least 7 out of 10 people who die from rabies in the United States were infected by bats. Although this disease is rare with fewer than 10 deaths reported each year, rabies poses a serious public health threat.Simon Pennington, an associate vice president, said there hadn’t been any other incidents like this on campus in recent memory, commenting “a rabid animal has not been discovered in or around campus before.” He added that Foothill offers resources for rabies through the school’s health services where they can direct students to the right place for treatments such as Kaiser. “You’re going to need to be vaccinated… just in case,” Pennington said.According to the school website’s Student Health Services page, there are several options for help such as telemedicine services, which gives students access to telehealth. There are other options such as ‘off-campus, in-person care’ and ‘on-campus essentials, as well as The Owl’s Nest.When asked if Foothill could help students with funding for the care he replied “we can cover some bases. I always joke that we can’t do open heart surgery for you.” He also noted the school’s limits. “Unfortunately, we are not funded the same way the UCs and CSUs are to provide more intensive healthcare.” However, students are still able to get basic services such as immunizations and free teeth cleaning, and they can be directed to health insurance and community clinics.Rabid bats rarely come into contact with humans but when a student does find a rabid bat or any other suspicious wildlife creatures, it is important to follow Santa Clara County’s guidance: to stay away from wild animals, report them, and if bitten, see a health care professional immediately. “Do not wait,” Pennington said. “By the time you get the symptoms, it’s probably curtains.”</div></body>

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On October 20, an email was sent to the entire student body at Foothill, warning that a bat tested positive for rabies was found on Foothill College campus. Students were shocked, because this incident raised questions on how to stay safe around wildlife and where to seek help if bitten.

Rabid bat found at Foothill

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On October 20, an email was sent to the entire student body at Foothill, warning that a bat tested positive for rabies was found on Foothill College campus

Rabid bat found at Foothill

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