Killer rabid vampire bats

From New Scientist:

Brazilian children are being menaced while they sleep by rabid vampire bats that have killed 23 people and bitten more than 1300 since September. The winged creatures enter people’s homes at night and suck blood from the youngsters’ face or fingers. The Brazilian authorities attribute the large proportion of children attacked – 18 of the 23 killed were minors – to the fact that youngsters sleep more soundly than adults and are less likely to be disturbed by the bats. snip “Vampire bats are usually shy of humans, but rabies makes them lose their shyness and seek humans for a blood meal,” Fooks told New Scientist.

Hat tip to Bibi for emailing the link.