An Illinois man who was in his 80s woke up with a bat biting on his neck in mid-August but declined post rabies exposure treatment.
After about a month, the man began experiencing headaches, finger numbness, and neck pain, which are symptoms of rabies. The man passed away a short time later.
The bat tested positive for rabies.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Prevention and Control) confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday.
This is the first confirmed human case in Illinois in nearly 70 years, according to a press release from the Department of Public Health.
The Illinois Health Department released a statement saying, “You can not tell if a bat has rabies just by looking at it. It needs to be confirmed by laboratory testing. Call your doctor if you are ever near a bat.”
