A high school student in Fremont found a bat at an apartment complex in the Warm Springs area and brought it to campus on Wednesday, according to a school principal.
Irvington High School Principal Sarah Smoot said the bat was in a plastic bag and the student threw it away in a campus trash can. The Alameda County Vector Control District is testing it to determine if the bat had rabies.
Wednesday's incident is the latest in a string of bats found in Fremont, with two recent bats found testing positive for rabies.
John Sutton, a biologist with the vector control district, spent much of Wednesday going door-to-door alerting residents that a rabid bat was found at Nile Elementary School on March 13.
On Tuesday, Laurie Manuel -- who lives just yards from the school -- found another bat on her back porch.
"It was dead and it was on the back steps," Manuel said. "It was very small."
Lab tests on Wednesday confirmed that bat did not have rabies.
Still, parents at Niles Elementary said they are concerned, especially since the bat found by a dog last week was discovered near the playground.
The dog's owner took the bat to the Tri-City Animal Shelter, and the test results came back positive on Monday, according to police. The dog's vaccinations were up to date, but it will be quarantined for 30 days as a precaution, police said.
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On March 6, a bat was found in the Irvington area and also tested positive for rabies.
The bat was found dead on the ground near the entrance to the Wally Pond Irvington Community Center located at 41885 Blacow Road.
In addition to the two rabid bats found this year in Fremont, Alameda County reports another rabid bat was found in San Leandro.
Rabies can be a fatal disease that is passed by touching the saliva or brain tissue of an infected animal or being bitten by one. The virus impacts a person's brain and nervous system.
Anyone exposed to the rabid bat is asked to get a series of vaccine shots from their doctor to prevent the spread of the disease.
Pet owners can take any animals that were exposed to the bat to a veterinarian for a rabies vaccine booster shot.
Most human cases of rabies in the U.S. come from bats, which are small animals with tiny teeth. Their bites are barely visible and can go unnoticed.
People who are exposed to rabies but don't get the vaccine can develop symptoms one to three months after exposure.
Symptoms of rabies include difficulty in walking, speaking or swallowing. People may become confused or agitated and may also suffer from hallucinations or nerve pain.
Those who believe they made contact with the rabid bat are asked to call the county public health department at 510-257-3250.
NBC Bay Area's Jean Elle and Bay City News contributed to this report.
