Lake County, Illinois - In a horrific turn of events not seen in well over half a century, an Illinois man became the first recorded victim of rabies since 1954 after he was bitten by a bat.

The 80-year-old Lake County resident woke up on a morning in mid-August wit a pain in his neck, which turned out to be the result of a bat bite.

According to CBS affiliate WPSD Local 6, the animal was caught and returned a positive test for rabies, but despite being told this, the bitten man refused to get any kind of treatment.

It didn't take long for symptoms associated with rabies to appear, including neck pain, headaches, difficulty controlling limbs, slurred speech, and numb hands and feet.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) confirmed Tuesday that the man died of the disease, which the agency said was the first human mortality case involving rabies in the state since 1954.

Once the first symptoms appear, those affected have virtually no chance of surviving, as the disease is almost 100% fatal if it goes untreated.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of IDPH, told WPSD Local 6 that the highly dangerous disease can be controlled in its early stages: "However, there is life-saving treatment for individuals who quickly seek care after being exposed to an animal with rabies."

The IDPH also urged anyone who believes they may have been exposed to rabies to contact health authorities immediately.