What to do if you find a bat in your house, Illinois officials say – NBC Chicago

After Illinois this week recorded its first human case of rabies in nearly 70 years, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued guidelines on what residents should find bats in their homes.

“If you see a bat, don’t touch it!” IDPH said in a social media post.

Bat colonies can be found in attics and chimneys, according to the health department, so people should perform routine exclusions.

However, the IDPH noted that permanent evictions of bats living in non-habitable spaces, such as an attic, can only be done from March 15 to May 15 and again from August 5 to October 30 due to departures. exteriors at dusk.

“Bats can be excluded by sealing exterior openings larger than ¼ inch using caulk, expanding foam, plywood, mortar, metal flashings, steel wool or a sieve or inch thread “, according to the IDPH. “Make sure doors, windows and vents have screens and are securely framed, that chimneys are capped, and spaces around utility lines are blocked. ”

If residents find a bat inside their home, the IDPH has asked people to contact local animal control in their city or county to help with the removal.

If the bat disturbs the home or workspace, health officials have said it should be captured, but should not be touched. Here’s how they recommend capturing a bat correctly:

1. Trap the bat inside a room, if possible
2. If the bat cannot be held inside a room, trap the bat in a box and slide cardboard underneath; or capture inside a blanket
3. Do not release the bat until the local health department is notified of the animal

The health department warned that people should always wear gloves when handling a bat and never touch the animal with their bare hands.

In mid-August, a Lake County man in the 1980s woke up with a bat on his neck, the IDPH said. The bat was captured and tested positive for rabies.

The man was told he had to start post-exposure rabies treatment, but refused, according to the health department.

A month later, the IDPH said the man began to experience symptoms consistent with rabies, such as neck pain, headaches, difficulty controlling his arms, numbness in his fingers and difficulty speaking.

The man later died, the IDPH said.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday.

People who have been in contact with the man’s secretions have been assessed and received preventative treatment for rabies, according to a statement.

“Rabies has the highest death rate of any disease,” said IDPH director Dr Ngozi Ezike. “However, there is a lifesaving treatment for people who seek prompt care after exposure to a rabid animal. If you think you have been exposed to rabies, seek medical advice immediately and follow the recommendations of healthcare providers and public health officials.

The IDPH noted that cases of human rabies are rare in the United States, with typically one to three cases reported each year. Exposure to rabies is common, however, with approximately 60,000 Americans receiving post-exposure vaccines each year.

Rabies infects the central nervous system, the IDPH added, causing brain disease and ultimately death. The virus is usually fatal without preventive treatment.

“Bats are the species most commonly identified as having rabies in Illinois,” the IDPH said in a statement. “Wildlife experts have found a bat colony in the house of the deceased.”