A bat found inside a local home tested positive for rabies, the Grand Traverse County Health Department (GTCHD) reported on Thursday morning. GTCHD is now warning the community to “take necessary precautions,” including keeping an eye out for bats in their homes, avoiding contact with wild animals, and vaccinating their pets against rabies.

The bat in question was recovered from a local residence and “tested by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) after possible human exposure.” All individuals who were exposed to the bat are now “receiving the necessary post-exposure medical care,” according to a GTCHD press release.

The incident has GTCHD urging extra vigilance around rabies locally. As the press release notes, rabies “is a fatal viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans.” The disease is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, usually via bites or scratches. Rabies has an extremely high fatality rate once symptoms manifest, “but it is preventable with prompt medical care and vaccination after exposure,” GTCHD notes.

This year, 36 bats and one skunk in Michigan have tested positive for rabies. Bats are by far the most common carrier for rabies in the state. Per the press release, bat bites and scratches are sometimes “too small to notice,” meaning that any direct contact with a bat should “be taken seriously.”

Precautions for protecting against rabies include avoiding contact with any and all wild animals, getting pets vaccinated against rabies, sealing all openings to your home, and seeking immediate medical attention if bitten or scratched by a wild animal or after contact with a bat.

Anyone who finds a bat in their home, GTCHD warns, should not handle it with their bare hands, but also should not release it back into the wild. Having the bat tested for rabies ASAP is the best way to minimize risk of rabies contraction.

“Safely contain the bat without directly handling it in any way and contact GTCHD at 231-995-6051 to discuss testing and possible exposure,” the press release recommends for bats found in local homes. “Please do not come to the health department with a bat without calling first to set up an appointment.”