One northern Kentucky resident has died from rabies, the first confirmed infection since 1996, Kentucky health officials report. According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health. the source of the individual's exposure has not been identified but may have originated outside of the U.S. during travel. The individual received medical treatment in Kentucky and Ohio. Rabies is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus that infects the brain, said KDPH Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack. Unfortunately, if left untreated rabies is usually fatal. Immediate medical care after a suspected exposure to rabies is critical, as rabies treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is nearly 100% effective at preventing rabies.The transmission of the virus from person to person is rare, but health officials are 'working together to ensure that people who have been in contact with the individual are assessed for possible exposure,' the release said. Rabies is typically spread through bites or scratches from an infected animal, or the entry of infected saliva or other fluids into a person's eyes, nose, mouth or open wounds. According to the CDC, fewer than ten human deaths caused by the disease are reported in the US. The most common carrier of rabies in Kentucky is bats and skunks, although any mammal can be infected. The last confirmed rabies infection in Kentucky happened in 1996.