Three people exposed to rabid bat in Snohomish County

Three Snohomish County residents were exposed to a bat that tested positive for rabies this week, prompting health officials to remind the public of prevention measures around the viral disease.

The bat flew into a home in the rural, eastern part of the county on Sunday evening, according to a statement from the Snohomish County Health Department. It was captured by the residents and taken to a wildlife center the following day, then tested positive for rabies on Wednesday.

The three people exposed to the bat are receiving rabies prevention treatment, including a series of vaccine shots and a dose of human rabies immunoglobulin, which provides immediate antibodies. The treatment is nearly 100% effective in preventing rabies, the health department said.

County health officials declined to share more details about the residents, but said one of them was considered to have a high-risk exposure." (In general, a high-risk exposure can occur when someone is bitten or scratched.)

In Washington state, bats are the only known natural carriers of the disease, and fewer than 1% of wild bats carry the rabies virus, the Snohomish County Health Department said. Other animals, including unvaccinated pets, can also become infected if exposed.

In Snohomish County, six bats have tested positive for the disease over the last decade, but this week's bat is the second to test positive for rabies in Washington this year. In January, a rabid bat was caught in Lewis County, according to the state Department of Health.

Rabies affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if not treated promptly, according to health officials. People can contract the disease through bites or scratches from infected animals, though human rabies is extremely rare in the United States.

Since 1990, the number of reported cases in the U.S. has ranged from one to seven cases per year, according to DOH. In Washington state, two cases of human rabies have been identified in the last 75 years.

Still, public health officials this week reminded people that the likelihood of a bat encounter is higher now that many bats have recently emerged from their winter hibernation, the statement said.

"Bat season has begun," Susan Babcock, a public health nurse with the Snohomish County Health Department, said in the statement.

If people do see a bat, Babcock urged against touching or handling it.

Health officials offered a few other tips to stay safe: Bat-proof your home by sealing small holes in siding or roofing, capping chimneys, using screens on windows and vents and keeping doors to the outside fully closed. Make sure pets are up-to-date on rabies vaccines.

When cleaning an attic, barn or cabin where bats may be around, wear leather gloves, long sleeves and pants and a wide-brimmed hat. And never handle bats with bare hands.

In addition, only capture bats that have had direct contact with a person or pet, or if the bat was found in the room of someone who might have had contact with it, health officials say. More information about how to safely catch a bat is available at the state health department website.

"Remember that bats aren't really the bad guys," Snohomish County health officials added. "Only a tiny percentage carry the rabies virus and they're great for the environment. They're not only nocturnal pollinators, they also eat tons of insects each evening, such as mosquitoes.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 5:06 PM.