# North American rabies activity increase > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/north-american-rabies-activity-increase > Updated: 2026-10-22T22:32:42.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2. 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. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-22: 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. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/quebec-reports-surge-in-rabies-cases-as-raccoon-outbreak-spreads ### 2026-10-10: 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. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/los-angeles-county-investigates-potential-raccoon-rabies-case --- Cite as: North American rabies activity increase. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/north-american-rabies-activity-increase