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(Source: 3TV / CBS 5)
A bat collected from the bottom of the Grand Canyon has been tested positive for rabies.
Park officials said Friday that visitors had reported an increase in the presence of bats along the Colorado River.
Nobody is known to have been in contact with the rabid bat. He was taken to Phantom Ranch in late August and tested.
Health officials say that rabies is preventable in humans if they seek medical treatment after being exposed to a rabid animal. It can be deadly otherwise.
Health statistics show that 116 animals have tested positive for rabies in the state so far this year.
Most of them involve bats, skunks and foxes.
Grand Canyon National Park would like to remind visitors of the following things they can do to protect themselves from rabies:
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Never approach or touch wild animals. Please, observe and enjoy the wildlife at a safe distance. If you notice fake or erratic wildlife behavior, inform a park employee or call the park's 24-hour emergency communication center at 928-638-7805.
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In areas where animals are accepted, ensure that animals are vaccinated and kept on a leash at all times.
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Teach children to tell you if they are bitten or scratched by an animal.
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Anyone who has been in contact with a bat or other wild animal in the park must inform an employee of the park as soon as possible. You should consult your doctor if you have contacted an animal that you thought was rabid.
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While on a river trip, take extra precautions and sleep in a tent to protect yourself. Rough bats have been recorded in 49 states. Every year, animal rabies is reported in Coconino County, Arizona. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the data suggest that rabies virus transmission can occur even from minor or unrecognized bat bites. The contact of animals and domestic animals with bats should be minimized. Bats should never be handled by untrained and unvaccinated persons or kept as pets.
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Copyright 2018 KPHO / KTVK (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved. Associated Press contributed to this story.
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