First rabid bat found this year in DeKalb County

MALTA – The first rabid bat of 2020 in DeKalb County was identified last week. The DeKalb County Health Department say a resident of Malta captured the bat after they awoke to find it in their bedroom. Authorities say bats are the primary carriers of rabies in Illinois, and you cannot tell by looking if a bat is rabid. They say you should keep your pet vaccinations up-to-date and to speak to animal control if you capture a bat in your home instead of releasing it into the wild. Without preventative treatment, rabies is a fatal disease.