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Thurston County Reports First Rabies-Positive Bat

PHSS Urges Residents to Take Precautions

Olympia, WA, August 1, 2024 –

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is reporting the first positive rabies bat in Thurston County this year, and the third overall rabies case in the county.

The bat was found in the Olympia area and tested positive for rabies by the Washington State Public Health Laboratory. This is the first rabies-positive bat reported in Thurston County since 2022.

PHSS urges residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their pets from rabies, which is a fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans and animals through the bite of an infected animal.

If you or your pet have been bitten or scratched by a bat, contact your medical provider and call PHSS during business hours at 360-867-2667 or Washington Poison Control at 800-222-1222.

Residents should also take the following precautions:

• Avoid contact with wild animals, especially bats.
• Vaccinate your pets against rabies.
• If you see a bat in your home, do not attempt to handle it. Call PHSS at 360-867-2667.
• Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals.

For more information about rabies, visit the PHSS website at www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/rabies.aspx or the Washington State Department of Health website at www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Rabies