The McHenry County Department of Health is investigating after two people and an animal were exposed to a rabid bad in northwest suburban Cary.
The two individuals and animal were exposed on Thursday, marking the county’s first case of human exposure this year, the Department of Health said in a Facebook post. The two people were receiving “post-exposure treatment,” officials said.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, most recent cases of human rabies in the U.S. have been caused by rabid bats. While most bats don’t have rabies, the following signs could indicate a bat is more likely to be infected than others:
- Seen during the day
- Found in a place where bats usually aren’t present (For example – a room in your home, on your lawn)
- Unable to fly
People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat, but that’s not always the case. According to IDPH, bats have very small teeth – and the marks they make aren’t always easy to see.
If you find yourself in close proximity to a bat and aren’t sure you’ve been exposed, you’re encouraged to call your doctor or local health department to determine whether that’s the case.
State officials recommend the following steps to protect yourself, other people and animals from rabies:
- Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals or stray dogs or cats
- Vaccinated pets serve as a buffer between rabid wildlife and humans, so be sure dogs and cats are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations
- Do not allow pets to roam free
- Do not attract wild animals to your home or yard. Store bird seed or other animal feed in containers with tight-fitting lids. Feed pets indoors. Make sure garbage cans are tightly capped. Board up any openings to your attic, basement, porch or garage. Cap chimneys with screens
- Encourage children to immediately tell an adult if they are bitten or scratched by an animal. Teach children not to approach or to touch any animal they do not know
- Report all animal bites to local animal control
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