Health officials say a Lake County (Spring Grove) resident in his 80s died after being exposed to a rabid bat last month. It is the first human case of rabies in Illinois since the 1950s.
Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the diagnosis after testing at its lab.
A man in his 80s, who resided in Lake County, awoke to a bat on his neck in mid-August, according to the Lake County Health Department.
The bat was captured and tested positive for rabies, health officials said.
Wildlife experts also found a bat colony in the man’s home.
The man was advised he needed to start postexposure rabies treatment, but he declined.
One month later, the man started to experience symptoms consistent with rabies, including neck pain, headache, difficulty controlling his arms, finger numbness and difficulty speaking, health officials said.
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