A dedicated schoolteacher from Dos Palos, California, tragically passed away after contracting rabies.
The fatal disease was contracted following a bite from a bat found in her classroom at Bryant Middle School.
The California Department of Public Health confirmed that the bat was "presumably rabid," leading to the unfortunate demise of the 60-year-old art teacher.
Leah Seneng, described by her friend Laura Splotch as "a lover of life and a compassionate educator," was attempting to remove the bat from her classroom when the incident occurred in late October.
Despite being admitted to a hospital weeks later, she succumbed to the disease on November 22nd. Rabies, a preventable yet fatal viral disease, primarily affects the central nervous system, causing severe brain disease and death if untreated before symptoms appear.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early symptoms can mimic the flu, including weakness, discomfort, fever, and headaches, eventually progressing to confusion and hallucinations.
The Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified School District expressed their profound sorrow, stating, "We were shocked to learn that Leah’s passing was related to contracting rabies, most likely from being bitten by a bat."
The district emphasized its commitment to educating the community about the presence and dangers of wildlife around school grounds, noting, "We live and work in a community known to have bats and other wildlife around school grounds."
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