FRESNO, Calif. – A California resident has died after being bitten by a suspected rabid bat, state health officials said.

The victim, from Fresno County, died late last week after experiencing symptoms of rabies, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Officials said victim was bitten by a bat in Merced County a month before his death.

He was hospitalized in mid-November in Fresno County, where state and local health officials, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, investigated rabies as the possible cause of his illness.

Samples taken from the patient confirmed rabies traces.

While health officials noted that deaths from rabies in the U.S. are rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported a year, they recommended precautions.

“Bites from bats can be incredibly small and difficult to see or to detect. It is important to wash your hands and look for any open wounds after touching a wild animal, and to seek immediate medical care if bitten,” said CDPH Director Dr. Tomás J. Aragón. “It is always safest to leave wild animals alone. Do not approach, touch, or try to feed any animals that you don’t know.”