‘Bat season has officially started’: 3 people exposed to rabid bat in Snohomish County

Three people were exposed to a bat that tested positive for rabies in Snohomish County.

The three people are receiving rabies treatment, according to a news release from the Snohomish County Health Department.

The bat flew into a home in rural Snohomish County, where it was captured and taken to a wildlife center. The Washington State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the bat was positive for rabies.

“The residents of this household found a bat in their house,” Susan Babcock, a public health nurse with the Snohomish County Health Department’s prevention services division, told KIRO Newsradio. “It was determined by the person on call who took the call initially that there was direct exposure by at least one person involved.”

What counts as a bat exposure

Babcock said capturing the bat for testing is typically done by the people in the home.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to send people out and try to capture bats,” she explained. “I have talked with people on the phone and walked them through how to do it safely.”

Babcock said just a bat flying into someone’s home isn’t necessarily considered an exposure, but it depends on the circumstances. If someone gets bitten, scratched, or touches the bat, that would be considered an exposure.

Babcock added that if someone wakes up to a bat flying around their bed or a dead bat next to their bed, they could have potentially been scratched or bitten while they were sleeping.

“Bats are really small, so their teeth and claws may not necessarily leave a mark. So that’s why we’re a little bit more conservative with bat type exposures,” she said. “And then also, if someone feels like they’re a really heavy sleeper, or they take medication to help them sleep, or are impaired in some way, that would be another situation where they might not wake up to a bite or scratch.”

Health officials noted this is the first positive rabies test for a bat in the county since 2023.

“Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if not treated promptly,” the health department stated.

Humans can contract the disease from being bitten or scratched by infected animals.

Officials noted that bats are the only known natural carriers of rabies in Washington. However, unvaccinated pets, such as dogs and cats, can also become infected if exposed to the disease.

“Fewer than 1% of wild bats carry the rabies virus,” the department stated.

Snohomish County bat is second positive case in Washington this year

Six bats have tested positive for rabies in Snohomish County over the last 10 years, but this was the second positive case in Washington so far this year.

In January, a bat tested positive for rabies in Lewis County, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

The three people exposed in Snohomish County are receiving a series of rabies vaccine shots and a dose of human rabies immune globulin. The treatment is nearly 100% effective at preventing rabies.

Bat sightings increase during the summer months as the animals emerge from hibernation and people leave their windows open. People also tend to spend more time outdoors during the summer.

“Bat season has officially started,” Babcock stated on the health department’s website. “Be respectful of bats and other wildlife by avoiding touching or handling them.”

The health department gave several recommendations for bat-proofing homes: seal small holes in siding or roofing, cap chimneys, use screens on windows and vents, and keep doors closed. Officials also urged people to keep their pets up to date on vaccines and to wear gloves, long sleeves, and pants when cleaning out an attic, barn, outbuilding, or cabin where bats may be present.

“If you see a bat out in nature, or out in the wild, please just leave it alone,” Babcock said. “Don’t come in contact with it or anything like that. They are good for the environment, so we certainly prefer that they don’t have to be euthanized for testing, and so just being respectful of their space is what we recommend.”

If someone finds a bat in their home and is concerned about potential exposure, they are encouraged to call their local health department.

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