First it was the skunks.
Now toss in the first rabid bat discovered in Jefferson County this year and you have yet another warning from health officials to get pets and livestock vaccinated against the virus.
The Jefferson County Public Health Department announced Wednesday that a bat in the county has tested positive for rabies, joining 17 skunks — including — that have been similarly infected so far in 2017.
The animals found infected this year continue a trend in the state — the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment said 88 animals in the state, wild and domestic, were confirmed rabies-positive last year.
Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other animals and is nearly always fatal. The virus can be transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal or from a rabid animal’s saliva if it comes in contact with their eyes, nose, mouth or open wounds.
Immediate medical treatment is required after exposure to an infected animal.
The county cautions people not to feed or handle wild animals, including foxes and raccoons. Domestic animals with one expired rabies vaccination or without any rabies vaccinations will be classified as high risk and be required to undergo a 120-day quarantine.
