Rabid Bat Found at Upper Merion Swim Club

The Montgomery County Health Department says the bat was found at the Upper Merion Swim and Tennis Club in King of Prussia and injured two people.

The Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD) is warning local residents about a bat that tested positive for rabies.

The MCHD says the bat was found at the Upper Merion Swim and Tennis Club in King of Prussia. The bat was submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories on Friday and tested positive on Saturday.

Officials say the bat injured two people last Wednesday. The two individuals were identified and underwent post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a treatment commonly used to prevent the outbreak of rabies after a bite from a rabid animal. Officials warn however other people may have been exposed. The Health Department is working with the swim club and the town to inform residents in the area.

While people often know they have been bitten by a bat, officials say most bats have small teeth which may leave marks that disappear quickly. If you have been in contact with a bat, officials advise to seek medical advice immediately.

Since January, the MCHD has received reports of seven positive animal rabies cases in Montgomery County. Health officials in Delaware also say that at least five residents of the area of Belvedere were bitten or scratched by a cat last week that tested positive for rabies. Earlier in the month, a rabid raccoon attacked a person inside a bathroom at the Wissahickon Valley Park, according to health officials. Finally in April, an injured fox found in Radnor Township tested positive for rabies.

Officials warn all Montgomery County residents to not befriend any wild or stray animals and to report any contact with the animals to the Montgomery County Health Department at 610-278-5117.
Officials also advise residents to vaccinate domestic animals, including dogs, cats and ferrets. The Montgomery County Health Code requires that all cats and dogs at least three-months-old be vaccinated against rabies.

The MCHD will conduct its annual Low-Cost Rabies Immunization Clinics on Saturdays in June. Click here for more information on those clinics. Click here for more information on rabies and bats.
 

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