A person was exposed to rabies during an attempt to pick up a diseased bat at a residence in Palm Beach Gardens, according to the Palm Beach County Health Department.
The bat was captured in a screened patio and picked up with a towel.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control was notified and sent the bat to a lab where it tested positive for rabies.
The person who handled the bat will now receive a series of rabies shots.
The Health Department says this is the first confirmed rabid animal of the year in Palm Beach County.
Residents in the area of PGA National are urged to avoid contact with wild animals.