King County warns of increase in rabid bats as summer heats up
Jul 22, 2020, 6:01 AM
Bats are known to be one of the most common animal drivers or rabies. (Seattle King County Public Health)
(Seattle King County Public Health)
King County health officials are warning residents to be aware of an increasing prevalence of rabid bats, the result of adult bats coming out of hibernation during the summer months.
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“As the weather warms up in King County, adult bats come out of hibernation, baby bats are learning to fly, and humans get outdoors, which means a big increase in human-bat interactions compared to other times of year,” Seattle-King County Public Health cautioned in a recent blog post.
Bats are known to be one of the prime animal transmitters of rabies in Washington, and can spread it to humans through bare skin contact or saliva. Public Health cites data taken between 1988 and 2018, which showed that out of 517 animals that tested positive for rabies, “almost all” of them were bats.
King County gets anywhere between 70 and 100 reports of exposure to rabid bats every summer. Already, it’s seen at least two such reports in the last few weeks. Health officials recently identified a bat that eventually tested positive for rabies sitting on a sidewalk in Ballard, where a woman reportedly picked up the animal and moved it to a bush.
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If you, your children, or your pet have recently touched or picked up a bat, you’re advised to immediately “wash the area that came into contact with the bat thoroughly with soap and water,” call your medical provider so you can receive “a series of rabies vaccinations as soon as possible,” and report the interaction to Seattle-King County Public Health at (206) 296-4774.
“Rabies is treatable if caught before symptoms appear, so identifying anyone who has had contact with the bat as soon as possible is important,” King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said.
Public Health advises measures to ensure your home is more bat-proof, as bats can often accidentally enter through open windows and chimneys. That includes putting screens on windows, as well as other so-called “exclusion devices” laid out by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife here.
Bats are also crucial parts of local ecosystems, and in Washington, are known to eat “large amounts” of insects like mosquitoes, termites, and other common pests.
