Rabid Bat Found in Douglas County

East Wenatchee, WA — A rabid bat was found near Waterville on Wednesday, July 7. Chelan-Douglas Health District (CDHD) sent the bat to the Washington State Lab for rabies testing and the results came back positive.

The bat was brought into a house by a cat and the homeowner handled the bat bare handed. CDHD is working closely with the homeowner on post-exposure prevention measures.

The last rabid bat in Chelan and Douglas Counties was reported in 2018 when 10 out of 85 bats that had human contact tested positive for rabies. CDHD asks that you contact your local health jurisdiction (CDHD if you are located in Chelan or Douglas counties) if you or any pets come in contact with a bat.

Anyone who touches or has contact with a rabid bat is at risk of getting rabies and should seek medical evaluation immediately. It is important to keep bats out of your house. The following are detailed instructions on how to properly capture a bat: https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/contact/capture.html.

In addition, it is extremely important to vaccinate your pets with the rabies vaccine as required by Washington State Law (WAC 246-100-197) and contact your veterinarian if you believe your pet has come in contact with a bat.

To stay informed on local public health, visit www.cdhd.wa.gov and follow CDHD on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Additional Resources:

Chelan-Douglas Health District

Washington State Department of Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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