The Chicago Department of Public Health has issued an alert about potential bat exposure during an outdoor concert in September. The public is urged to contact a health care provider immediately if they had any contact with bats.
The potential exposure to bats took place during the Goose show at the Salt Shed on September 12, 2024 between 5pm and 10pm. The statement does not indicate that anyone has contracted rabies — a fairly rare disease among humans, but one which is nearly always fatal if untreated.
Exposure to bats can lead to rabies, and on account of a bat’s small teeth “a bite from a bat may not be felt and may leave marks that are not easily seen,” the health alert warns.
Rabies can remain dormant for one to three months after infection — the so-called “incubation” period — according to the World Health Organization’s factsheet on rabies. Bats can carry rabies, though not all bats are rabid. However, most of the cases of human rabies in the US have been contracted from bats, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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If rabies is untreated and extends to the central nervous system it is among the most fatal diseases on earth. Thankfully there are few cases of humans contract rabies in the United States, but treatment as soon as possible after exposure is key to survival.
Attendees that did not have any contact with bats shouldn’t have anything to worry about, according to city health officials. “A bat flying above you is not a risk for rabies.”
Photo by Igam Ogam