GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Gwinnett County officials are warning residents to use extreme caution after a bat found inside a Snellville home tested positive for rabies.
What we know:
The bat was found dead on Aug. 28 at a residence near Stockton Walk Lane in Snellville. Subsequent testing confirmed the animal was infected with rabies.
Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement, along with GNR Public Health, issued a public advisory reminding residents that rabies can be transmitted to humans and pets through bites or scratches from infected wild animals, including bats and foxes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rabies virus attacks the central nervous system and is almost always fatal in humans if preventive medical treatment is not administered immediately. Early symptoms in humans include fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort.
What they're saying:
Authorities emphasize that pet owners must keep their animals up to date on rabies vaccinations.
Under National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians guidelines, unvaccinated dogs or cats exposed to a rabid animal must undergo a strict four-month quarantine and receive a rabies vaccination one month before release.
Officials advise anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a stray or suspected rabid animal to seek medical care immediately. Patients should inform their healthcare provider of the exposure and contact GNR Public Health at 770-339-4260 to speak with the on-call epidemiologist.
What you can do:
To report an animal behaving unusually or to request an animal pick-up, residents can call the Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Bite Office at 770-339-3200, ext. 5576.
What we don't know:
Officials have not confirmed whether any humans or household pets came into direct contact with the rabid bat before it died.
It is unclear how the bat got into the home near Stockton Walk Lane.
The Source: The information in this story came from a press release from the Gwinnett County Government.