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A Lake County, Illinois man who woke up to find a bat on his neck died weeks later in what was the state's first human case of rabies since the 1950s.
A statement from the Illinois Public Health Department obtained by NBC News confirmed the man, who was in his 80s, awoke to find the bat on his neck in mid-August and declined treatment, but died a month later after experiencing symptoms of rabies, marking the first human case of rabies in Illinois since 1954.
The man's diagnosis was confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday (September 28).
The U.S. averages only one to three reported human rabies cases annually and, once clinical symtoms appear, the disease is typically fatal, according to data from the CDC via NBC News.
However, rabies exposure is still common with 30,000 to 60,000 individuals receiving post-exposure vaccination treatment in the U.S. per year, according to the CDC.
The Illinois Public Health Department said the man reportedly experienced several symptoms of rabies, which included neck pain, difficulty controlling his arms, finger numbness and difficulty speaking.
The department confirmed a bat colony was found inside the man's home after his diagnosis.
"If you think you may have been exposed to rabies, immediately seek medical attention," the state health department's director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, said in a statement, adding that he and others hoped the unfortunate case would raise awareness to others.
Most rabies deaths among humans in the U.S. come after exposure to bats, but other common wildlife vulnerable to the disease include racoons, skunks and foxes.
Globally, rabies causes the most deaths in Asia and Africa as dogs are typically the most common source of transmission to humans, the World Health Organization reports.