The zoonosis centre said 13 of 988 bats collected tested positive and urged residents not to touch bats and to vaccinate pets.
Campo Grande, capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, has confirmed rabies in a 13th bat found in an urban area. The animal was located in the Sargento Amaral neighbourhood near Horto Florestal. The city’s Zoonosis Control Centre said 13 of 988 bats collected on suspicion of the disease tested positive.
The centre advises people not to touch a bat, alive or dead; to keep people and pets away from the area; and to contact the zoonosis service so the animal can be safely collected and sent for laboratory testing. It also urged residents to keep dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies, saying vaccinated pets help block transmission among mammals.
Officials said the finding was not a reason to panic: rabies has previously been detected among bats in the city, so awareness and prevention remain important. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, but vaccination and prompt preventive measures after possible exposure can prevent the disease. The centre does not remove bat colonies, clean droppings or seal roofs; those tasks are the property owner’s responsibility. Bats help control pests, disperse seeds and pollinate plants, and killing them is an environmental crime.