First bat of the season tests positive for rabies The Associated
Press Illinois health officials say the remarkably warm weather
means bats are active earlier this year. That increases the risk
of exposure to rabies. The Illinois Department of Public Health
announced Tuesday that two people are getting treatment after a
bat tested positive for rabies. State public health veterinarian
Connie Austin says people shouldn’t approach bats. Instead, call
your local animal control agency. If you find a bat indoors, try
to contain it in one room and call local animal control
officials. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous
system. Humans can get rabies from the bite of an infected
animal, and it can be fatal if left untreated. Last year, 49
bats and one cow tested positive for rabies in Illinois.