Whatcom County Confirms 2 Rabid Bats, Urges Pet Vaccinations

Q: A tiny bat bite can go unnoticed in your sleep, but could this silent nighttime encounter ultimately cost you your life?

Yes — if a bat bit or scratched you in your sleep and the exposure is missed, it can ultimately be fatal, because rabies is almost always deadly once symptoms begin. The critical point is that it is also highly preventable if treatment starts before symptoms appear. That is why health officials treat a bat in a bedroom seriously even when there is no obvious wound. Bat bites and scratches can be tiny, painless, and easy to miss. Public-health guidance says urgent medical advice is warranted if a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, a child, or someone unable to reliably report contact. The actual risk from any single bat is still low. Washington says less than 1% of the wild bat population is believed to carry rabies, though about 5% to 10% of sick, injured, or dead bats that are tested turn out to be rabid. You cannot tell by looking whether a bat has rabies, so direct contact should never be dismissed. If there is any chance of exposure, wash the area right away with soap and water and contact a health care provider the same day. Rabies post-exposure treatment — typically vaccine plus rabies immune globulin for people not previously vaccinated — is considered nearly 100% effective when given promptly. In Whatcom County, residents who find a bat indoors should contact Whatcom Humane Society Animal Control at 360-733-2080. If someone may have been bitten or scratched, they should also contact their medical provider and local health officials immediately.

3 articles · Updated · KIRO Seattle · Aug 6

Two bats tested positive for rabies in Whatcom County this week, prompting local health officials to warn residents to avoid contact with bats anywhere in the county.
Whatcom Health and Community Services did not disclose where the bats were found, saying bats are mobile and the risk is not limited to one location.
About 5% to 10% of sick, injured or dead bats tested in Washington have rabies, and officials urged owners to keep cats and dogs current on rabies shots.
Residents who find a bat indoors should not touch it with bare hands and should call Whatcom Humane Society Animal Control; bites or scratches should be washed immediately and reported to a health care provider.