So far in 2022, 11 bats have tested positive for rabies across Cook County, the county's Department of Animal and Rabies Control (ARC) said in a press release on Monday.
According to Dr. Tom Wake, DVM, administrator of the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control, a "significant" number of the bats were found inside people's homes. And though rabies is a preventable disease, it is "always fatal to unvaccinated pets," and "almost always fatal to humans if left untreated," Wake said.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that around 60 to 70 dogs, along with 250 cats contract rabies each year.
According to the ARC, 8 Cook County bats in 2021 tested positive for the disease. In 2020, 6 rabid bats were reported, and 11 were reported in 2019.
In 2018, the number was much higher, at 27.
The county's interactive bat map that spans a five year time frame shows that most of the rabid bats appear to cluster in both the city of Chicago, and in western Cook County near La Grange.
No, residents should no handle bats, the ARC says. The animals do, however, play an role in the county's ecosystem.
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According to the release, bats consume large amounts of insects including mosquitoes. A single half-ounce little brown bat can eat half its body weight in insects each night, the county says.
The viral disease, which is also fatal to humans if left untreated, is transmitted through saliva, and spread when an infected animal scratches or bites another animal or human, Wake said. According to the CDC, those who have been in contact with any wildlife should speak to a healthcare professional to determine the risk for rabies or other illnesses.