Woman Sought After Touching Rabid Bat in Minneapolis Contacts Health Officials
Authorities had been searching for a woman seen interacting with a bat confirmed to be rabid, which was found on a Minneapolis street.
A woman who touched a rabid bat found on a Minneapolis street has contacted health officials after a six-day search. The Minnesota Department of Health had been seeking the individual, described as a white woman between 25 and 30 years old with curly brown hair, accompanied by a dog resembling a golden retriever.
The bat was discovered on Tuesday around noon on Hennepin Avenue, according to a statement from the health department. It later died and tested positive for rabies.
Health officials reported that the woman was seen crouching near the bat and placing it into a bag before handing it to another individual who brought the animal for testing. The department announced the woman had contacted them Monday afternoon, six days after the bat's initial discovery.
Rabies is a viral disease that can spread to humans and pets through bites and scratches from infected animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that rabies requires urgent medical attention and is almost always fatal without treatment. The five-dose vaccine regimen is highly effective if administered before symptoms appear. Early symptoms can include headache, fever, irritability, and pain or itching at the site of exposure. Once symptoms manifest, the virus becomes untreatable.
Health experts emphasize that bat bites can be small and painless, making them difficult to detect. The department advised that anyone who touched the bat, or believes they may have had contact with it, should consult a healthcare provider for assessment.
This incident occurs amidst a reported increase in human rabies exposures in the U.S. From July through August of this year, the CDC received 17% more rabies-related inquiries compared to the same period in the previous year.