San Juan Basin Public Health reports a bat in the region has tested positive for rabies.

Rabies is a fatal viral disease that spreads from rabid animals to people and pets through bites and scratches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The health department tested 26 bats in La Plata and Archuleta counties during spring and summer, and one bat tested positive for rabies, according to a news release. Most bats do not have rabies; however, contact with bats should be avoided. The only way to determine if a bat has rabies is through a laboratory test.

For information about how to keep bats out of a home, visit cdc.gov/rabies/bats/.

For information about how to capture a bat for testing, visit https://bit.ly/2k5FGBu. For questions, call SJBPH at 247-5702.

mshinn@durangoherald.com