PASADENA (CNS) – Pasadena Public Health Department reminds residents Friday that the chances of people getting rabies is low but residents should be wary and careful because a bat infected with the disease was found in Pasadena.
“PPHD urges the public to exercise caution around bats, especially during the summer and early fall months, when rabid bats are most commonly identified in Los Angeles County,” the health agency said in a statement.
The bat found in Pasadena Thursday tested positive for rabies and health officials urge residents to avoid contact with any bats in the area.
According to Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian, that bat was found near the intersection of South San Rafael and Nithsdale Road. It is the first bat found in the city this year to test positive for rabies, according to city Public Health Director Manuel Carmona.
No human cases of rabies have been reported in the city, and the overall risk of public exposure remains low, according to the city.
Carmona urged residents to avoid contact with and immediately report any injured, ill, or dead bats in the area. People were advised to never handle bats with bare hands.
“Any contact by humans or pets with a rabid bat is a very serious health concern,” Acting Health Officer Dr. Parveen Kaur said in a statement. “Rabies is a life-threatening disease that requires timely preventive medical treatment. To reduce risk, all contact with bats and other wild animals should be strictly avoided.”
Kaur said rabies can be transmitted to humans or other animals through a bite or even a scratch from the tooth of the infected animal. Anyone who is exposed to a rabid bat should wash the area immediately with soap and water and seek medical assistance.
Anyone who finds a dead or dying bat was urged to contact Pasadena Humane at 626-792-7151. If pets are suspected of being bitten or exposed to a rabid bat, owners are advised to contact an emergency veterinarian.
More information on rabies is available through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rabies website at https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/.
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