Bat tests positive for rabies in Knott County, Kentucky River District Health Department warns residents

A bat that tested positive for rabies has been found in Knott County, prompting a public health warning from the Kentucky River District Health Department, according to WKYT. The department advised residents to avoid direct contact with bats and other wild animals, especially when animals appear sick, injured or dead.

In its guidance, the Kentucky River District Health Department urged people not to touch or handle bats or other wildlife if they are acting abnormally or are found in a condition that suggests illness or injury. The warning applies to bats and other wild animals, reflecting rabies risk considerations for any direct contact with potentially infectious animals.

Rabies is a serious public health concern because it is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, typically when an exposed person has had direct contact such as a bite or other saliva transfer. The department’s warning focused on reducing the chance of that kind of contact by instructing people to leave the animals alone.

The guidance also emphasizes that sick or injured wildlife should not be handled even if the animal appears small or nonthreatening. Health experts cited by WKYT noted that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, meaning prevention and timely response to potential exposure are critical.

WKYT reported the advisory as part of the department’s effort to remind the community to treat any direct contact with a bat as a high-risk situation. The department’s message was intended to prevent people from approaching, capturing, or relocating a bat or other wild animal they encounter while it is in distress.

Residents who see a bat or other wild animal that appears sick, injured or dead were directed to follow the health department’s advice to avoid handling, reinforcing the idea that public contact should be limited until health officials can assess what steps, if any, are needed.

The Kentucky River District Health Department did not indicate in the WKYT report how many people were affected or whether anyone reported a direct exposure in connection with the rabies-positive result, and the details of follow-up actions were not provided in the report. The department’s public warning remains the primary immediate step for residents following the confirmation of rabies in the area.