In mid-September, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an official health alert due to an increasing number of reports about human exposure to rabid or possibly rabid animals in many states.
Missouri is one of the states in which reported animal rabies cases for 2026 are up significantly. As of Oct. 1, 36 cases had been documented, significantly more than the case counts from previous full years. Bats account for the majority of rabies cases here, but some skunks have also tested positive, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Because rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms start, the St. Louis County Department of Health recommends some basic steps to prevent exposure:…