King County officials are warning the public after a rabid bat was found at a park in Renton. According to the county, the bat was discovered on the south end of the park near the playground, an area of the grounds where park visitors regularly pass through during the summer months.
The discovery prompted a quick response from local officials. The bat was found on Tuesday, and King County officials say it was euthanized the following day as they moved to address the potential health risk that the animal posed to people using the park.
The central concern for health officials is rabies, a serious viral disease. Officials warn that anyone who may have come into contact with the bat is at risk of developing rabies, urging people who were in the area to be aware of the possible exposure and to take it seriously.
So far, there is no confirmed sign that the exposure reached anyone. The county says it has no reports of people being bitten in connection with the rabid bat, though officials are still encouraging vigilance from anyone who may have been near the animal at the park.
The case is not the only one in the area recently. Officials say this is the second rabid bat found in the county this month, pointing to more than one instance of the disease turning up in local bats over a relatively short period of time.
The earlier case was reported elsewhere in the region. According to officials, the other rabid bat was found at the University of Washington campus, and that bat was euthanized as well, underscoring that the recent detections have not been limited to a single location.