Carrollwood Woman Recovering After Being Bitten By Rabid Bat

CARROLLWOOD, FL — A Carrollwood woman is recovering after being bitten by a rabid bat in her neighborhood.

According to the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, the woman was walking around her neighborhood at night last week, saw a bat on the sidewalk and decided to pick it up. The bat bit her finger when she picked it up.

She brought the bat to the Hillsborough County health department and it tested positive for rabies. The resident is now receiving treatment.

This is the second confirmed case of rabies in Hillsborough County this year. No rabies alert has been issued since this is a single case found in wildlife.

This is the time of year when bats are more active, and residents should call the DOH if one is found inside their home.

People should avoid contact with any animal that lives in the wild, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.

The only definitive way to determine if an animal has rabies is a lab examination.

Anyone who has been bitten, scratched or exposed to the saliva of any wild animal or an animal that is acting unusual should always report the exposure to the health department. Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans.