Officials released a warning about bats after two more were found with rabies in Naperville

Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) in flight at night, Belgium. (Photo by: Arterra/UIG via Getty Images)

Residents of Naperville, Illinois are being advised not to touch bats after two have test positive for the rabies virus.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH) tracks and reports the number of rabid animals found each year. So far in 2017, there have been 19 bats who have tested positive for rabies in the Chicago area. Two other cases have been found in central Illinois.

The DPH urges residents to avoid contact with wildlife and look for warning signs of rabies. In a bat, some of these signs are a bat who is out during daytime, unable to fly or in unusual places.

This isn’t the first year Chicagoland residents have been warned to watch for rabid bats. In 2016, the Chicago Tribune reported an uptick in rabid bat cases and urged readers to use caution if they encounter a bat in their home.

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