Rabid Bat Found In Sammamish, Prompting King County Health Alert

SAMMAMISH, WA — Public health officials are warning all King County residents to be mindful of contact with bats after a Sammamish resident was attacked by one that later tested positive for rabies. According to Public Health - Seattle & King County, the resident found a bat in their yard and put on gardening gloves to remove the creature, but it became aggressive and bit them several times.

Officials said the person immediately alerted public health authorities, who quickly tested the bat for rabies. The victim underwent post-exposure treatment to prevent a rabies infection, which is deadly to humans after symptoms begin.

"Rabies is preventable but only if treated before symptoms appear," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County. "Seeking medical evaluation as soon as possible is important if you'd contact with a bat. Contact includes touching a bat, being bitten, scratched, or any other bare skin contact with a bat or its saliva."

According to public health officials, the warmer weather means more bats are coming out of hibernation for the season, which increases the chance for human-bat interactions across the region. The Sammamish bat is the first to test positive for rabies in 2021. Last year, the county tested nearly four dozen bats for rabies after human contact, and five tested positive.

"Bats with rabies are found in every part of Washington," said Hanna Oltean, a senior epidemiologist at the Washington State Department of Health. "The most important precaution to prevent rabies exposure is for people to avoid contact with wild animals, especially bats, and to teach children to never touch or handle bats, even dead ones."

Officials said healthy bats avoid contact with people, so residents should be immediately suspicious if they see a bat on the ground inside or near their home.

Rabid bats also pose a risk for pets, and health officials recommend routine rabies vaccinations for dogs, cats, ferrets and horses. If residents believe their pet may have been exposed to rabies, they should contact a veterinarian immediately. Animals may require revaccination if they had contact with a bat.

Here is what public health officials recommend if you find a bat in your yard or inside your house:

• If you find a bat inside your house, call Public Health at 206-296-4774 to discuss the situation and to determine whether the bat needs to be tested for rabies. Public Health tests bats for rabies at no charge under certain circumstances.
• Live bats should be captured and might need to be tested for rabies if the bat had direct contact with a person’s bare skin, or with a pet , or if a person wakes up to a bat in the room in which they were sleeping.
• Use a shovel or thick gloves to put a dead bat in a box for testing. Do not throw it away.
• Open windows and allow bats to leave your home if they have not come into contact with a person or pets. Close doors to other parts of your home and secure pets away from the location of the bat.