Rabid Bat Found In Back Bay
BOSTON (AP) -- Health officials are still looking for a person who was reportedly bitten by a rabid bat found on the sidewalk in Boston's Back Bay area.
The bat tested positive for rabies Wednesday, a day after animal control officers picked it up from the sidewalk on Clarendon Street.
Authorities say at least two reports suggest someone had been bitten by the rabid bat.
Public health officials are asking anyone who had direct contact with the animal to notify them and contact a physician.
Bats are the primary source of rabies deaths in the United States; only about two to three people die of rabies each year on average.
But thousands of people get shots to prevent rabies after exposure to rabid animals.
It generally takes more than two months for rabies to fully develop.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
