Jazz guitarist Julian Lage wasn’t the only special guest at the September 12th Goose concert at The Salt Shed, as Chicago health officials are warning attendees that they were possibly exposed to rabid bats. A statement from the Chicago Department of Public Health warned anyone who came into contact with the bats to seek medical attention immediately.
September 12th marked Goose’s second of three weekend shows at the former Morton’s Salt warehouse-turned-music venue. While thousands of Goose fans danced in the outdoor courtyard, an unconfirmed number of bats were flying overhead. After the story broke, one Reddit user recalled seeing a bat “flying around the lighting rig picking off moths and other bugs attracted to the light.”
City officials stated that bats in and around Chicago have been found to carry rabies, though not all do. They warned that bats have small teeth and that a bite from a bat may leave a bite mark that is not easily seen. Anyone who was bitten, scratched, or came in physical contact with a bat is urged to immediately contact a healthcare provider. They will recommend rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, or rabies vaccine, which is highly effective in preventing rabies. Rabies in humans is almost always fatal. Those who did not come into physical contact with a bat do not need to take any further action. A bat flying above you does not put you at risk for rabies.
The Chicago Department of Public Health did not respond to WTTV‘s questions about how many people were confirmed to be exposed to bats or why officials did not alert the public for almost a month.
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