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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [HEALTH]

2 clusters · 13 sources · 13 days · First seen · Last updated

North American rabies activity increase

Overview

Rabies activity has seen a notable rise across North America in 2026. In Los Angeles County, health officials reported a raccoon infected with rabies in Westlake Village, marking a potential first for the area in over 50 years. The incident involved potential exposure to four construction workers, who are receiving post-exposure prophylaxis.

In Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported 397 laboratory-confirmed animal cases between January and September 2026, exceeding the total number of cases recorded in 2025. A significant portion of these cases, specifically 313, involve raccoons in Quebec. The outbreak has also affected domestic pets and resulted in exposures for an owner and a veterinarian. To manage the spread, authorities in Quebec are utilizing “trap-vaccinate-release” operations and deploying vaccine baits. Additionally, rabies has been identified in wild animals, such as a skunk in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Entities

Westlake Village · Quebec · Canadian Food Inspection Agency · Montreal · British Columbia

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 9 sources
    Canada reports surge in rabies cases, particularly in Quebec raccoons

    Canada is seeing a rise in rabies cases, with 397 animal infections reported so far in 2026, driven largely by a raccoon outbreak in Quebec and reported cases in British Columbia.

  2. [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Los Angeles County reports first raccoon rabies case in over 50 years

    A raccoon in Westlake Village has tested positive for rabies, potentially the first case in Los Angeles County since 1973. Four people are receiving preventative treatment following possible exposure.

Sources

680news.com · brandonsun.com · canadanewsmedia.ca · cheknews.ca · edmonton.citynews.ca · independent.co.uk · kitchener.citynews.ca · makfax.com.mk · news1130.com · ottawapublichealth.ca · thecooldown.com · world-today-news.com · zoom.mk