An injured bat found at Beavertail State Park in Jamestown on July 30 tested positive for rabies.
The Rhode Island Department of Health is alerting the public that the rabid bat was found near the hose spigot on the Lighthouse building by a worker, according to a news release.
The bat was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility and later euthanized when staff noticed that the bat was displaying symptoms of rabies. It was submitted for testing to RIDOH’s State Health Laboratories on Aug. 1.
What to know about rabies
Rabies is a fatal disease if it is not treated before the onset of symptoms, according to the release. Anyone who may have had direct contact with the bat should immediately call RIDOH’s Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 401-222-2577 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or 401-276-8046 after hours. RIDOH should also be contacted if a pet may have come into contact with this bat.
The rabies virus infects the central nervous system. If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain, ultimately resulting in death. Rabies treatment must be started as soon as possible after exposure.
All dogs, cats, and ferrets are required by state law to have current vaccination against rabies. Vaccination of pets prevents them from contracting rabies and prevents people from becoming exposed to rabies through their pets.
How to prevent rabies
To prevent rabies, people should:
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Make sure all dogs, cats, and ferrets are up to date on rabies vaccination.
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Avoid all contact with and do not feed stray or free-roaming domestic animals.
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Avoid all contact with and do not feed wild animals.
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Do not feed your animals outdoors, as this will attract other animals. This is especially dangerous when feeding large numbers of free-roaming cats.
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Protect your pets by always maintaining control; walk dogs on a leash or let them play in a fenced yard, and do not let pets wander unsupervised.
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Report all animal bites to your city/town’s animal control officer. – Securely cover all garbage cans so wild animals cannot scavenge for food.
For more information, see www.health.ri.gov/rabies
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bat with rabies found at Beavertail State Park in Jamestown
