Crews narrow search for bats’ entry point after 8 found at Puyallup school

Another bat has been found inside a Puyallup elementary school, bringing the total to eight since mid-September.

The dead bat was discovered Thursday morning in a mechanical room at Edgerton Elementary. It’s the third bat found in the mechanical room.

Puyallup School District Communications Director Sarah Gillispie said the bat appeared to have been there for some time. There are no reports of anyone coming into contact with it.

The district said that pattern is helping narrow the focus as pest-control crews try to figure out how the bats are getting into the school. So far, there’s no evidence the bats are roosting inside the building, and crews haven’t identified a specific entry point.

Pest-control professionals will begin exclusion work this weekend, starting outside the building near the mechanical room. They’ll look for and seal potential entry points before moving inside. The district said the work could take several visits.

Possible exposure to bats prompts rabies shot recommendations for two people

Bats have been turning up at Edgerton since Sept. 14. They’ve been found in hallways, near the cafeteria and gym, and in the mechanical room.

The district previously reported possible contact involving a staff member and consulted with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. The health department recommended rabies shots for two people following possible exposure to bats at the school.

The health department recommended treatment for a staff member who had contact with a bat on Sept. 14. A student was also advised to get treatment out of caution after an unconfirmed report that the student may have come into contact with a bat.

The district is also consulting with health officials about Thursday’s discovery as a precaution.

None of the bats found at Edgerton have been tested for rabies. The health department said bats are tested when there is a reported human exposure and the bat is captured.

So far this year, 23 bats have been tested for rabies in Pierce County, and none have tested positive. The last bat to test positive in the county was in 2017.

The district has installed door sweeps, checked windows and screens, and is using game cameras to monitor bat activity.

Students are being told not to touch or try to capture a bat. Anyone who may have had direct contact should notify the school and contact a health care provider.

Read more of Tim Hohl’s stories here.