Health & Fitness
1st Rabies Case 2022 In Polk County
Owners of a dog became concerned for its health after it carried a live bat in its mouth after it found one in a Winter Haven area.
POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County reported its first rabies case of 2022 Thursday after a dog tested positive for the virus, Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
A dog picked up a bat with its mouth, and brought it to its owner in the Lake Mirror area of Winter Haven Tuesday. The bat was still alive, and did not hurt the dog. An officer with Polk County Sheriff's Office Animal Control then sent the bat to a Tampa lab for testing, deputies said.
The test showed positive rabies results Thursday.
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"Fortunately, this dog was current on its rabies vaccination," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "But it will have to be quarantined to make sure it is not infected. Remember, if a wild mammal is acting aggressive or appears sick, stay away from it and contact animal control immediately."
Polk County had five confirmed cases of rabies in 2021, and two in 2020, according to the sheriff's office.
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