A BC Centre for Disease Control Physician Epidemiologist is urging people not to disturb bats if you come across them.

Dr. Eleni Galanis says its best to not disturb bats if you come across them.

“They play an important role in keeping insects at bay and maintaining our healthy ecosystems,” she said. “Now that being said, you don’t want to necessarily co-live with them because of that increases risk of transmissions of infections particularly rabies.”

Bats are the only carrier of rabies in the province, and Dr. Galanis was asked what to do if a bat is too close for comfort.

“There are bat activists and community bat groups that can help provide the right advice on how to prevent bats from entering your spaces or how to get rid of them if they are already there,” Dr. Galanis added. “And we can provide that information. There are also links on our website.”

As for what to do if you come across a dead bat and need to move it away from kids or pets.

“You can either get assistance from a local organization to pick it up or you wear gloves and use a shovel to pick up the bat and to put it in the garbage,” she said. “At all costs, avoid touching it with your bare hands. And then wash your hands thoroughly even though you were gloved up.”

A 21-year-old Parksville man – Nick Major – died from rabies after coming into contact with an infected bat on Vancouver Island this spring.

His death was the second rabies-related fatality in the province since Health Canada began tracking reports of the disease in 1924. The other instance was in 2003.