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LINCOLNTON, N.C. (WBTV) – It was confirmed Thursday that bats were found in a Lincoln County hospital.
On Thursday, March 5, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it was “aware of the bats found inside Atrium Health Lincoln in Lincoln County.” The department’s public health division was “working with the county and hospital directly to take the appropriate public health measures and precautions,” officials said.
The Atrium Health hospital in Lincoln County is located in the area of North Poplar Street and East Pine Street in the city of Lincolnton.
Atrium Health officials said the bats were discovered in a confined area of the hospital. They also said they moved patients from the area and sealed it off.
It was not immediately clear whether the bats came into contact with anyone.
The state health department said Thursday that the presence of bats means there’s a concern about rabies. The health department did not say that anyone had contracted the disease, however.
According to health officials, about 3% of tested bats in North Carolina are positive for rabies.
“However, transmission of rabies only occurs following direct physical contact with an infectious bat,” the state health department said. “In the absence of direct physical contact with a bat, there is not risk of transmission.”
Anyone who may have had contact with a bat should call their doctor or local health department to talk about a rabies vaccine, health officials said.
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