Editor's note: The original story had the wrong address from officials. That has been corrected.
Health officials in Garland have reported a confirmed case of rabies in a bat, the first such case in the city since 2009.
On Thursday, the Garland Health Department received the notification of a laboratory-confirmed case of rabies in the bat. The animal was captured near the 2800 block of Beasley Drive on Tuesday.
Health officials say they have no reports of exposure to humans from the bat. They believe there was an exposure to an owned canine that is currently on the rabies vaccine.
The canine will be in isolation for 45 days and has received a rabies booster.
Earlier this month, Frisco Animal Services also issued an alert after a bat tested positive for rabies.
The rabies virus is relatively rare in North America and is occasionally found in wild or domesticated animals including dogs, coyotes, skunks, foxes, raccoons and bats.
Infection of humans can occur if virus-laden saliva from a rabid animal is introduced through a bite, scratch or mucus membrane. Without treatment, infection is likely to be fatal.
To reduce the community's risk to rabies, citizens should regularly vaccinate their pets and should report any pet or wild animal exhibiting erratic or abnormal behavior to Garland Animal Services.
Residents can contact the Garland Health Department at 972-205-3570 if they have questions or need to report potential exposure to the rabid bat.
