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Report: Rabid Bat Bites Child In Spencer, Others May Have Been Exposed

SPENCER – A girl was bitten by a rabid bat, and health officials suspect other children may have come in contact with the diseased animal, according to a report.

They are warning anyone who may have come in contact with the bat to consult with their doctor immediately.

The rabid bat was found at Luther Hill Park in Spencer on Tuesday, according to the Telegram & Gazette.

The girl who was bitten is reportedly being treated. But several other children may have touched the bat, exposing them to the potentially deadly virus.

Health officials told the Telegram & Gazette that someone retrieved the bat from the water and brought it to shore. There, several children were reportedly petting the bat.

Reverse 911 calls went out to every residence in Spencer.

Rabies is treatable early on. But if symptoms begin to show, it's almost always deadly.

Read: Rabies Fact Sheet (.pdf)

From the DPH:

"After a person is exposed to rabies, they can be given shots (called "immune globulin") around the bite or scratch to help fight the virus where it entered the body. They will also get 4 or 5 vaccinations (shots) in their arm over several weeks. These shots will also help the person fight the virus. As long as the shots are given before the person starts to get sick, this will prevent them from getting rabies. If a person does not get the shots and then gets sick with rabies, there is no effective treatment."

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