In a press release from the Vanderburgh County Health Department, we have learned that a bat located on the east side of the county has been confirmed to have tested positive for rabies by the Indiana State Department of Health.

Rabies is a virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans and can be lethal. According to the Vanderburgh County Health Department, animals that can pass the rabies virus to humans include coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats like the one verified to be carrying the virus in Vanderburgh County.

Get our free mobile app

The Indiana Wildlife Disease News, a publication in partnership between the  Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife and USDA APHIS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Emergency Response
Program,

Rabies in animals can take a variety of forms, but a common, early symptom is a change in behavior. Normally docile animals may become aggressive and vice versa. Animals may progress through a “furious” phase and a
“paralytic” phase.

 

They go on to say that not every animal infected with the rabies virus will display symptoms. Nocturnal animals may be seen during the day. As for humans, according to the Indiana Wildlife Disease News, rabies in humans may begin with tingling sensations and generalized anxiety. It is advised that you keep an eye on your domestic animals and avoid contact with wildlife if possible. To learn more about the rabies virus, you can read more on the Indiana Wildlife Disease News.

The Vanderburgh County Health Department reminds us to "not handle or touch wild animals," citing the danger of deadly illness if human contact is made with an animal carrying the rabies virus. Should you believe that you have encountered an animal that is either dead or injured or behaving in an erratic and unusual way, you should contact Evansville-Vanderburgh Animal Care and Control at 812-435-6015.

[Source: The Vanderburgh County Health Department via Facebook]

LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?

Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

More From WGBF-FM