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Rabid bat found in Polk County for 2nd confirmed case in 2018

Posted at 2:50 PM, Jul 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-27 14:52:46-04

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A bat has tested positive for rabies in Polk County for the second time in less than 60 days.

On Sunday, July 8, a Winter Haven man found a bat at his home on River Lake Road. He took the animal to a bat rehab center in Hillsborough County where it bit an employee.

The bat was sent to a lab for rabies testing and on Thursday, the Department of Health told Animal Control it had tested positive for rabies. The first case in Polk this year was on May 31 in Lakeland.

Residents are reminded that bats are considered a high-risk species or "rabies vector species."

If you think you or your pet has had an "exposure," please contact the PCSO Animal Control Section at 863.577.1762.