A California middle school teacher has died after contracting rabies via a bat that flew into her classroom.
Leah Seneng, 60, found the bat in her classroom in mid-October. When she went to pick it up and put it outside, it bit her, the woman’s friend, Laura Splotch, told ABC 30.
“She didn’t wanna harm it,” the woman told the outlet. “But that’s when I guess it woke up or saw the light or whatever – It swooped around a bit, and it took off.”
At first, the teacher didn’t have any symptoms but she began to feel ill about a month later. Seneng’s daughter took her to the hospital on November 18. She was put in a coma and died four days later.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health told ABC 30 that Seneng had been exposed to rabies in Merced County. Seneng was an artist who taught art at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, about 64 miles from Fresno.
The Independent has reached out to school officials for comment about the incident and to confirm whether efforts are being undertaken to determine how the bat entered the classroom.
Health officials are conducting contact tracing with hospital and healthcare workers who cared for Seneng, the outlet reported.
Rabies can be transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, normally through bites. Symptoms can include a fever, headache, excessive salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis and mental confusion. Fewer than 10 people die from rabies in the U.S. annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A GoFundMe launched to help raise funds for Seneng’s funeral has surpassed its $5,000 goal and has raised $6,623.
“We are raising funds for her family after her unexpected death for funeral expenses,” Splotch, who also set up the GoFundMe, reported. “We ask for privacy for her family during this difficult time and thank you in advance for any donations. Every little bit helps. Thank you.”
