An ancient and almost invariably fatal virus is reasserting its presence at the edges of human civilization, as the CDC documents a measurable rise in rabies exposures across the United States. A Michigan legislator's encounter with a bat has become a focal point for a broader national reckoning with how little separates modern life from the wild dangers that have always surrounded it. The disease offers no mercy once symptoms appear, making awareness and swift action the only meaningful defense — a reminder that some threats do not negotiate with progress.
CDC warns of rising rabies exposures as Michigan lawmaker receives post-exposure shots
Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear; post-exposure prophylaxis is critical for exposed individuals to prevent death.