Bat tests positive for rabies in Thurston County

For the fourth time this year, a bat in Washington state has tested positive for rabies. The latest case was discovered in Thurston County after the bat flew into someone’s bedroom.

If a bat gets in your bedroom, or a child comes into contact with one, you’re asked to try to capture the bat to have it tested. The CDC's website has information on how to safely catch a bat indoors. You can also call your local public health department for advice.

The rabid bat was one of three that entered the bedrooms of sleeping Thurston County residents on recent summer evenings. According to the Thurston County Public Health Department, all three bats were caught — one by a cat, another by a dog, and the third by the humans of the house. That enabled the Washington state Public Health Lab to test all three for rabies.

The bat that had been caught by the cat came back positive. Fortunately, the cat was up to date on its rabies vaccinations. It will now get a booster dose. Its owners will get precautionary vaccinations.

Public health officials warn that you can’t tell if a bat has rabies from its appearance. Rabies can be transmitted through a bite or a scratch. The other rabid bat cases in Washington this year were in Mason, Snohomish, and Kittitas counties.