Overview

• State health officials informed the St. Clair County Health Department that the bat tested positive for rabies.
• The person who was bitten is receiving rabies postexposure medical treatment.
• Residents are advised to treat any bat contact as a possible exposure and, if it can be done safely, capture the animal for testing and contact local authorities.
• Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear but preventable with timely postexposure prophylaxis, and animal testing is coordinated through MDHHS with CDC approval.
• Michigan typically confirms about 60 rabid animals each year, most of them bats, and pet owners are urged to keep vaccinations current and report animal bites as required by state law.