California Department of Public Health frequently issue warning regarding bats due to their risk for spreading rabies in California. In Yuba City, a bat that has tested positive for rabies made contact with a child.
California Department Of Public Health
A bat on the ground that came into contact with a child outside a home has tested positive for rabies, according to Sutter Animal Services Authority.
Officials said the bat-related incident occurred on Sept. 25 in Yuba City near the 1100 block of Casita Drive.
Animal services collected the bat and sent it to the Sacramento County Public Health Lab, where testing confirmed it had rabies.
Sutter County Public Health has contacted the child’s parents regarding preventive treatment.
Health officials are urging residents not to touch bats, including bats that appear sick or dead. The California Department of Public Health said animals with rabies will often have strange or unnatural behavior. That can include wild animals that seem unusually tame, nocturnal animals that are out in the day, and pets that have trouble walking, eating or a significant change in personality.
Sutter County Public Health urged residents to make sure pets are current on their rabies vaccinations. And residents should also keep windows and doors properly screened and secured to prevent bats from entering homes.
The Sacramento Bee
Nicole Buss is The Sacramento Bee’s Roseville/Placer County watchdog reporter. She previously covered Placer County at Gold Country Media. Buss grew up in Lincoln and is a graduate of Sierra College and Arizona State University.
Source: www.sacbee.com
