The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department has received an increased number of calls regarding bats.
If residents see a bat — dead or alive — inside a home or an apartment, it is important to contact the Health Department at 785-843-3060 and ask for a Communicable Disease staff member for guidance.
Bats have small teeth that may leave marks not easily seen. Although many people know if a bat has bitten them, there are certain circumstances when a person might not be aware or able to tell if a bite has occurred. For example:
- If a person awakes to find a bat in the room
- If you find a bat in a room with an unattended child
- If you see a bat near a person with a disability
- If a person is intoxicated
When it cannot be ruled out that the bat is free from rabies and an exposure has occurred, a series of vaccinations can prevent infection. It is important to get these vaccinations as soon as possible after exposure because rabies is a fatal disease.
“The most common way for people in the United States to get rabies is through contact with a bat,” Kim Ens, director of Clinic Services at the Health Department, said. “We can’t emphasize enough the importance of safely capturing the bat, having the bat tested and seeking medical advice.”