A fox in McKinley County.
A trio of skunks in Curry County.
And 15 bats across the state, from Taos to Doña Ana County.
Those are some of the 22 animals that have tested positive for rabies this year in New Mexico, according to the state Department of Health. It’s the highest annual case count reported by the agency since 2019 — and the year’s not over yet.
Rabies, which is almost always fatal to humans, has been the subject of renewed attention from public health officials in recent days. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday issued a rabies health advisory in response to “high-profile rabies outbreaks and mass rabies exposure events” — which have brought on a spike in related inquiries in recent months.
In New Mexico, this year’s rabies case count is “higher than average,” said Dr. Erin Phipps, public health veterinarian for the state Health Department. That’s primarily driven by a rise in rabies cases among bats this year, she said — though the reason for that remains unknown.
“I do not have a good answer for why we’re seeing that increase here in New Mexico,” Phipps said.
Rabies is what’s known as a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans. Phipps said the “most common mode of transmission” for the disease occurs when an infected critter — like a bat, skunk, fox or raccoon — bites a human.
In humans, rabies tends to start with flu-like symptoms before progressing to neurological symptoms — like anxiety, confusion and agitation — then brain swelling and eventually death, according to the CDC.
But those cases are extremely rare. New Mexico hasn’t seen a human rabies case in decades, Phipps said, and there are typically fewer than five each year across the U.S.
That’s because medical care after exposure and before the onset of symptoms can effectively prevent rabies cases in humans. Emergency rooms typically stock what’s known as post-exposure prophylaxis, a combination of medications — including several doses of the rabies vaccine — that can stop the virus in its tracks, Phipps said.
However, there have been a handful of high-profile rabies exposure incidents in recent months. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed multiple rabies cases in baby goats at a mobile petting zoo — resulting in hundreds of possible exposures. The Washington Post reported the partial closure of a Maryland state park after rabid beavers attacked two park-goers.
The incidents resulted in a spike in rabies-related inquiries to the CDC. From July through August, the federal health agency received 17% more rabies-related inquiries than during the same period in 2025, according to the health advisory. That time frame also brought reports from at least eight state health departments of increased use of post-exposure prophylaxis — and of errors in administering that prophylaxis.
Though there’s no shortage of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis in the U.S., the CDC’s health advisory warned healthcare providers against giving patients the medicine unnecessarily, citing possible adverse effects and avoidable costs. A typical course of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis costs between $11,000 and $14,000 per person.
“Following rabies [post-exposure prophylaxis] administration guidance helps ensure that lifesaving vaccines are available for persons who need it and extraneous costs are avoided,” the advisory said.
Usually, New Mexico sees a total of between 10 and 15 animal rabies cases per year, according to data from the state Department of Health. Fifteen cases, identified among bats alone, is pretty high, Phipps said. In both 2024 and 2025, New Mexico saw 7 rabies cases in bats.
“The average bat out there flying and eating mosquitoes is good for the environment, and the average bat has a very low risk of carrying rabies. What concerns us is an abnormal bat,” Phipps said, adding abnormal bat behavior could include being unable to fly or being found indoors.
If you encounter a bat, do not pick it up or touch it with bare hands or allow your pets to interact with it. People who have direct contact with a bat, who wake to find a bat in their room, or who cannot reliably report whether contact with a bat occurred should receive a rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, according to the state Health Department.
The rise in rabies cases isn’t yet cause for concern, Phipps said — but it’s a good reminder to remain aware of the disease. The state Health Department advises pet owners to keep their dogs and cats up-to-date on vaccinations and call the veterinarian in case of any bites or scratches.
“We’re not seeing anything that is particularly alarming per se, but we are seeing an uptick in the number of positive cases,” Phipps said. “And it’s a good reminder for everyone to think about their dogs and cats and perhaps other pets as well: Are they up-to-date on their rabies vaccine?”
