2023-06-15 04:49:51
[The Epoch Times, June 15, 2023](The Epoch Times reporter Zhou Yuheng compiled a report in Seattle) A King County resident and an unvaccinated pet dog contracted rabies following coming into contact with a rabid bat in early June. Public health in Seattle and King County said it was the first laboratory-confirmed case of a rabid bat infection in King County this year.
The health department said the resident and the puppy came into contact with the bats in a bush near their home in eastern King County. The health department did not disclose the current condition of the residents and the puppies.
The bat was collected and sent to a Washington state public health laboratory where it tested positive for rabies, the health department wrote in a blog post. As the weather warms, bats emerge from hibernation, which means the likelihood of human contact with bats increases. Bats can be infected with rabies and infect humans through saliva and exposed skin contact.
In 2022, the health department tested 43 bats that had contact with humans for rabies, and 5 of them tested positive for rabies.
The rabies virus is present in the saliva of infected animals and is usually spread through bites or scratches. If left untreated following a potential rabies exposure, the virus is almost always fatal.
The health department recommends washing bat contact thoroughly with soap and water immediately following coming into contact with a bat. Call your healthcare provider as soon as possible, get immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine to prevent infection and death, and report exposure to public health.
Pets are also at risk of bat rabies, so vaccination is crucial. Washington state requires rabies vaccination for all dogs, cats and ferrets. If a pet does come into contact with a bat, even if it has up-to-date vaccinations, call a veterinarian immediately, the health department says.
Editor in charge: Shun Hua
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