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Rabies exposure confirmed after person bitten by bat in Merced County, health officials say
bats
Wild animals, particularly bats and skunks, are a common source of rabies exposure (Photo courtesy of CA Fish and Wildlife).

STAFF REPORTS

CV Journalism Collaborative

A Fresno County resident is being treated for rabies after being bitten by a bat in Merced County, health officials say.

County officials did not elaborate in a news release how the bite happened or what area it occurred.

The release said Fresno County Department of Public Health and Merced County Department of Public Health are working closely with the hospital and healthcare workers caring for the individual.

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Merced County Department of Public Health is also working to notify individuals who may have been exposed, as well as preparing medical providers in the community on response measures, the release said.

Rabies is a serious disease and is almost always fatal if not treated before symptoms appear, according to the release. It is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, usually via bites or scratches.

Wild animals, particularly bats and skunks, are a common source of rabies exposure.

Public health officials say residents should not touch bats, dead or alive.

Bites or scratches from bats often go undetected. Bat bites can be too small to feel or see. Direct contact with a bat, dead or alive, should be reported to your health care provider, whether or not an obvious injury is noted.

According to the release, individuals who wake up to find a live or dead bat in the room should also notify their health care provider.

If you have had direct contact with a bat or suspect potential exposure:

  • Wash any bite or scratch wounds with soap and water.
  • Contact your healthcare provider immediately for evaluation and treatment.
  • Report the incident to your local health department for further guidance.

Individuals can report the location of dead bats to the Fresno County Environmental Health Division at (559) 600-3357.

If in Merced County, contact Merced County Communicable Disease Division at (209) 381-1020 or by email at cdreporting@countyofmerced.com, the release said.

The EH Division and the CD Division will contact the animal control agency of jurisdiction and request to have them pick up the bat(s) and will arrange to have them tested for rabies.

It is also important to protect your pets by ensuring their rabies vaccinations are current. For more detailed precautions or to report an animal bite, visit the Rabies and Animal Control website at www.fcdph.org/rabies.

For more information about rabies, visit www.cdc.gov/rabies/about/index.html