MALONE - The Franklin County Public Health Department recently received confirmation that a bat in the county tested positive for rabies.
The bat was captured and sent for testing after it had direct contact with a person, and post-exposure treatment has been started for that person.
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. It only afflicts warm-blooded animals and is invariably fatal if not treated. It is most often seen in wildlife like bats and raccoons, but pets and livestock can get it if they are not vaccinated and have contact with an infected animal.
The Franklin County Public Health Department recommended the following steps for people to reduce risk of infection:
Don't feed, touch or adopt bats, wild animals, stray dogs or cats.
Be sure your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.
Don't try to separate fighting animals. Wear gloves if you handle a pet after a fight.
Keep family pets indoors at night, and don't let them roam outside unattended.
Encourage children to tell an adult if bitten by an animal, and tell them not to touch any animal they don't know.
If a wild animal is on your property, let it wander away. Bring children and pets indoors and alert neighbors who are outside.
Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to your county public health authority. Don't let any animal escape that has possibly exposed someone to rabies; it can be observed or tested for rabies to avoid the need for treating the person. This includes bats that make skin contact or are found in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child or someone with mental impairment.
Don't attract wild animals to your home or yard. Feed pets indoors, tightly cap or put away garbage cans, cap your chimney with screens, close any openings to your attic, basement, porch or garage, and keep your property free of stored bird seed or other food that might attract animals.
Homes and summer camps should be "batproofed" during the fall and winter. Bats can be particularly difficult to keep out of buildings because they can get through cracks as small as pencils.
To report a bite from a wild animal or bat or for more information, contact the Franklin County Public Health Department at 481-1710 or the Essex County Public Health Department at 873-3500.
