The Chicago Department of Public Health has issued a warning that attendees of a recent outdoor concert at the popular Salt Shed music venue may have been exposed to bats that carry rabies.
According to CDPH, the “possible” exposure occurred during Goose’s outdoor concert at the venue, located at 1357 North Elston Avenue, between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sept. 12.
CDPH noted in a release that while bats in and around the Chicago area have been found to carry rabies, not all bats carry rabies.
“If you attended a concert and were bitten or scratched by a bat, or if you had direct contact with a bat, contact your health care provider as soon as possible to discuss rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).” is stated in the release.
Health officials said people who attended the concert and who may have been bitten or scratched by a bat or who had physical contact with bare skin are at risk, health officials said. It is said that it is Tachi.
But CDPH said bat bites can be difficult to detect, stressing that the bites may not be felt and may leave marks that are not easily seen due to the small size of the mammal’s teeth. did.
CPDH noted that there is no need to worry unless attendees come into contact with bats during the concert.
“If you attended a concert and had no contact with a bat, there is no further action to take,” the release states. “There is no risk of rabies if a bat flies overhead.”
Rabies is a disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals, health officials said.
“Rabies is transmitted when a person is bitten by an animal infected with the rabies virus (rabies). In humans, rabies is almost always fatal,” CDPH said. “Therefore, it is important to provide prompt and appropriate rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after exposure to bats has occurred.”
Salt Shed did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
