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SALT LAKE CITY — Health officials issued a warning on Friday telling the public not to touch bats or other wild animals after three bats tested positive for rabies.

“To find three rabies-positive bats in one area in a short period of time is unusual,” Salt Lake County Health Department medical director Dr. Dagmar Vitek said in a statement. “We normally receive reports of only four in a year, and that’s countywide.”

Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system. A person can contract rabies through a bite, scratch or saliva from an infected animal.

Rabies is fatal once symptoms can be observed.

A spokesman for the health department said the three bats were spread across a multi-block area in downtown Salt Lake. The first was found early August and the most recent one was found this week.

Bats with rabies may behave unusually, appearing more approachable than usual. They may appear in areas they would usually avoid or spend time on the ground due to being weak, dehydrated or unable to fly.

Healthy bats usually do not pose a threat. It is not unusual to find them hanging upside down around buildings or trees, although they usually avoid people.

As of September, seven bats have tested positive for rabies out of 70 bats in Utah, according to the state health department.

“If you find yourself near a bat, dead or alive, do not touch, hit, or destroy it and do not try to remove it from your home,” Utah Department of Health epidemiologist Dallin Peterson said in a statement.

“Call your local animal control office to collect the bat and call your health care provider or local public health department immediately to report the possible exposure and determine whether preventive treatment is necessary.”

Domestic pets — including dogs, cats and ferrets — are required to receive the rabies vaccine by Utah law.

Signs of rabies in domestic animals include behavior changes, trouble swallowing, an increase in drool or saliva and biting at everything when excited.

Other tips include:

Keep pets inside and supervise them when outside to keep them from coming into contact with wild animals.

Report stray animals to local authorities.

Stay away from wild animals. It's not normal for a wild animal to be friendly with people.

Seal cracks and gaps where bats can enter your home.

If bitten by any animal, domestic or wild, wash the wound with soap and water and contact a health care provider and animal control.

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