BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -  

Kern County is a rabies endemic county and in the past two weeks six bats have been found and tested and three of them tested positive for rabies. 

Some of bats that tested positive for rabies were found in residential areas.

According to Panama-Buena Vista School District's Assistant Superintendent, Gerry Kincaid, the bat was not found inside a classroom, but outside in a yard. The nest of that bat was found behind a marquee in front of the school. A bat eradication company came out and took care of the situation. The school district sent a letter and a pamphlet from the Health Dept. stating what had occurred and how it was taken care of.

Rabies is an infectious viral disease transferred through saliva affecting the nervous system of humans and other mammals.

Any warm-blooded animal can be infected; however, infections are most common in bats, skunks, foxes coyotes and raccoons. 

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid contact with potentially infected animals. 

The Kern County Public Health Officer Dr. Claudia Jonah told 23ABC what to look for if you think an animal may be infected.

"If a wild animal allows them to get that close its probably sick, that's not normal behavior and if its sick its highly likely in our area to be sick with rabies."

The public health department wanted to reinforce that bats are common in Kern County and asks that if you find one around your area to stay away because although human rabies is very rare it can be deadly.