Man on Life Support After Contracting Rabies
A 28-year-old man is on life support after contracting a rare case of rabies, health officials said Saturday.
The virus attacks the nervous system and is “invariably fatal,” said Dennis Galvon, a Glenn County health officer. He said one to three cases are reported each year in the United States. Galvon said the state Department of Health Services diagnosed the disease Friday. Results of a second test were expected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late today.
The Willows resident arrived March 19 at Enloe Medical Center, the doctor said. The man was dehydrated and vomiting, began having seizures and was put on life support.
Galvon said most cases of rabies in humans come from contact with bats. The incubation period ranges from three weeks to three months.
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