Illinois, Sep 29 : An 80-year-old US citizen, a resident of Lake County, Illinois, has died of rabies he contracted from a bat, the first case of human rabies in Illinois since 1954, the State Health Department said.
The infection occurred last month when the deceased woke up and found a bat on his neck, which bit him. The animal was subsequently caught and tested positive for rabies. The 80-year-old was advised to start relevant medical treatment, but he opted not to follow health recommendations.
A month later, the man developed symptoms linked to rabies, including neck pain, headache, issues with hand control and speech, and finger numbness. He then passed away. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed his diagnosis on Tuesday.
“Sadly, this case underscores the importance of raising public awareness about the risk of rabies exposure in the United States,” Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister was quoted as saying in a statement from the department, issued in the early hours of Wednesday.
In Illinois, rabies is most often identified in bats, with over 1,000 of them tested for the virus each year. Around 3 percent of tests have positive results, the statement noted, adding that the State has detected the virus in 30 bats this year so far.(UNI)