The Brief
- A Polk County resident picked up a bat she mistook for a mouse in her Winter Haven yard, leading to the county’s sixth confirmed rabies case.
- State laboratory tests confirmed the bat tested positive for rabies after animal control officers sent the animal’s carcass for testing.
- Health officials advised the resident to seek medical care immediately while warning the community to avoid strange-acting animals.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Winter Haven woman was advised to seek medical treatment after a bat she mistook for a mouse tested positive for rabies, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Polk County Rabies Exposure
What we know:
PCSO said a resident on 8th Street in the Eloise area picked up what she thought was a mouse in her yard on Sept. 10. Deputies say the woman realized the creature was actually a bat.
Animal control officers recovered the bat and sent its carcass to the state laboratory. Test results received on Tuesday confirmed the bat had rabies, prompting officials to notify the woman and advise her to contact the Department of Health for medical treatment.
Health Safety Advisory
What we don’t know:…