DeKALB — DeKalb County Health Department has confirmed a second bat has tested positive for rabies. This news was confirmed on Aug. 29 after the bat bit a person in Sycamore on Sunday. The person who was bitten is in good condition and has received rabies prophylaxis.

Bats are the leading cause of rabies in Illinois, affecting about 30,000 to 60,000 people, according to the DeKalb County Health Department. The most clinical sign that a bat is rabid is any bat that is active during the day or a bat that is seen in an unusual place like in front of your house. The most common misconception is that if a bat exhibits aggressive behavior, it’s rabid but  that is not the case. If you encounter a bat indoors, please wait for the bat to land and try to cover it with a box or a bucket. 

Rabies is a virus that is transmitted between humans and other mammals. Humans can get rabies after being bitten by an affected animal or if any saliva gets into an opening of the body.

This virus affects the central nervous system causing people to become discombobulated and agitated. 

If you are bitten by a rabid animal, please seek medical attention expeditiously. If the person is not treated and develops rabies, this could result in fatality. 

The following tips can help prevent the spread of rabies:

• Keep up with vaccination requirements for your pets.
• Keep your pets confined.
• If you encounter a wild animal, please call animal control or public health officials.
• If you are bitten by a wild animal or bat, seek medical attention.
• If a bat is in your home, close interior doors and try to isolate the bat in one room.
• All animal bites on humans that occur in DeKalb County must be reported to DeKalb County Animal Control at 815-748-2427.