Bat that dropped onto table at SoCal restaurant had rabies, officials say

Health authorities are looking for people who may have come into contact with a bat that fell onto a table at a north San Diego County restaurant on Sunday just as a family was having lunch. The bat fell onto a table at the Yellow Deli in Vista, startling patrons. It later tested positive for rabies, according to the county Communications Office. After the animal fell to the table, one patron grabbed it with a towel and took it to the Humane Society in Oceanside. The bat was later transferred to the San Diego County Public Health Laboratory, where it was tested and found to be carrying rabies, authorities said Thursday. The incident spurred Health Department authorities to warn those who had handled the bat or might have come into contact with the creature to contact their healthcare provider.