Man bit by rabid bat in south-central Idaho

TWIN FALLS, Idaho – Public health officials say a man in south-central Idaho is receiving treatment after being bitten by a bat that has tested positive for rabies.

Tanis Maxwell, an epidemiologist with South Central Public Health District, said the man was bit in Twin Falls County on Monday, the Times-News reported. The man, whose name has not been released, is being treated at a local hospital.

Maxwell said the bat was captured and sent to the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories for testing. Rabies can only be confirmed in a laboratory.

Nineteen animals have tested positive for rabies across Idaho since June.

Rabies can be fatal if left untreated. The disease is transmitted through an infected animal’s saliva, often through a bite or scratch.