Grant County woman bitten by rabid bat

A Grant County woman was bitten by a rabid bat Monday and is now receiving anti-rabies vaccines.

The woman was bitten after she disturbed the bat, which was under a boat cover, according to a news release from the Grant County Health District. Her family did a Google search to determine what to do and then captured the bat for testing.

The report from an area near Moses Lake is the first confirmed rabid bat in Grant County in 15 years. This summer rabid bats also have been reported in Spokane and Chelan counties.

Anyone who comes in contact with a bat is urged to contact the local health district, even if the person is not sure if they have been bitten. Bats who come into direct contact with people or pets should be caught without coming into physical contact with them and preserved for testing. The head must be intact.