San Diego County health officials are urging residents to avoid contact with bats after 14 rabies-positive bats were identified so far this year, including four found in May.

Patch reported that one of the May cases was a bat found May 16 at a private residence in Santee. County officials said that case did not expose people to rabies.

Other May detections included wild bats found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido and the San Diego Zoo. Officials said the bats were not part of animal exhibits and that visitors who did not touch a bat are not considered at risk.

County health officials warn that rabies can spread through a bite or when infected saliva enters a cut, scrape, eyes, nose or mouth. Because bat bites can be hard to notice, residents who touch a bat or think they may have had bare-skin contact should contact County Public Health Services at 619-692-8499.

For Santee households, the takeaway is simple: do not handle bats, keep children and pets away from wildlife, wash any contact area immediately and make sure pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations.