Health officials in Minneapolis are urgently searching for a woman who came into direct contact with a rabid bat discovered on a downtown sidewalk last Tuesday. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the animal was found on Hennepin Avenue between North Washington Avenue and North Third Street around midday. While the bat was eventually turned over for testing, the results confirmed that the creature was infected with rabies, prompting an immediate public health alert.
Witnesses described the individual as a white woman between 25 and 30 years old, approximately five feet five inches tall with curly brown hair. She was reportedly accompanied by a golden retriever-like dog with curly fur. The woman was seen crouching over the bat and placing it into a bag before handing it off to another passerby, who then ensured the animal reached authorities for medical screening.
Department officials are urging anyone who may have touched the bat to contact 911 immediately to be connected with Animal Care and Control, while also reaching out to their primary healthcare provider. Experts warn that rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms manifest, making prompt preventative vaccination critical. Because bat bites can be so small they are virtually painless and often leave no visible mark, people may not even realize they have been exposed until it is too late.
This incident comes amid a broader increase in rabies concerns across the country. Recent data from the CDC indicates a seventeen percent rise in rabies-related inquiries during July and August of this year compared to the same window last year. Since most human rabies cases in the United States stem from bat encounters, health departments are stressing the importance of avoiding wildlife and seeking immediate care following any suspicious interaction.
