A rabid bat was found in St. Joseph County after it bit a woman late last week.

The woman told the Humane Society of St. Joseph County that was bitten when she went to bed. The bat had found a way into her North Liberty home and crawled into her bed, according to the South Bend Tribune.

Health officials say this time of year they receive several calls about bats as the weather gets warmer. They remind you that rabies is a very serious, sometimes fatal disease. If anyone in your family or a pet is ever bitten or scratched, you should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and contact your doctor or vet right away.

The animal that tested positive is the first rabid bat confirmed in our area in two years.