The Muskegon County Department of Health announced Tuesday that a bat found in the county has tested positive for rabies, the first such occurrence this year.
The department advises residents that there are several ways to reduce the risk of exposure to a rabid bat, including avoiding touching or picking up any bats, keeping their pets' rabies vaccinations up to date, and bat-proofing their homes.
Most individuals do not have contact with a rabid bat, but any direct contact with a bat should be considered a potential exposure to rabies. Bat bites are not always visible.
If possible, anyone to come in contact with a bat should safely collect it - instructions to do so can be found on numerous websites, including those of the Humane Society and the Center for Disease Control - and consult with health department staff to determine if it should be tested for rabies. Those results then determine if post-exposure treatment is necessary.
