A Whatcom County bat has tested positive for rabies in the county’s first confirmed case of rabies so far this year.
While rabies remains rare in Washington, Whatcom County Health and Community Services issued a public health reminder on Wednesday, Sept. 4, informing people who have been bitten or scratched by a bat to immediately clean the wound with soap and water, capture the bat safely if possible, call their health provider and call the county health department at (360) 778-6000.
Eight bats, including the Whatcom one, have tested positive for rabies this year in Washington. In 2023, only 16 bats tested positive for rabies in Washington, with one testing positive in Whatcom and one in Skagit.
Bats are the only known source of rabies in Washington state, with the last reported case of rabies in another animal in 2015. Humans in the state have not been infected with rabies since 1997, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
Rabies infections can be fatal once symptoms appear and the virus attacks the nervous system, but the disease is preventable with “prompt medical care including a series of shots that contain the rabies vaccine,” the news release states.
The health department urged people to never “handle, feed or play with bats,” to teach children to avoid bats, to keep pets away from bats and vaccinate animals for rabies, and to prevent bats from entering their homes. People needing help to safely capture a bat can call Whatcom Humane Society’s Animal Control services at (360) 733-2080.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
