6-Year-Old Treated After Bat Bite in Tigerton, Wisconsin

A six-year-old girl in the rural community of Tigerton, Wisconsin, was bitten by a bat while climbing a tree, according to her family. The child received the first of a four-dose rabies vaccine series on the day of the incident and is recovering.

Her brothers intervened, with one using a makeshift weapon to kill the animal. Local health officials advised that bites from wild animals should be cleaned with soap and water and that medical attention be sought immediately.

"When you realize that your child probably has an ancient old virus that's 100% fatal, probably in her body. I mean it's, it's terrifying, you know. You have all the thoughts run through your head of like what if I bury my child?" said mother Elizabeth Kale.

The health department emphasized the importance of prompt wound care and vaccination following potential rabies exposure.