A bat that bit a man earlier this week in Hall County has tested positive for rabies, animal control officials said Friday.
After biting a man in the Centurion Drive area of northwest Hall, the bat was sent Wednesday to the Georgia Public Health Lab in Decatur, according to Mike Ledford with the county's animal control office. The following day, animal control learned the bat was positive for rabies, Ledford said.
This the 13th case of rabies this year in Hall County, Ledford said.
Alert signs will be posted in the area where the rabid bat was located. Anyone who sees an animal acting abnormally in the area is asked to contact Hall County Animal Services at 770-531-6830 or Hall County Dispatch at 770-536-8812 during non-working hours.
The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and can cause disease in the brain and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A vaccination is available to prevent the disease if medical care is received promptly.
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