Official insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County staff
Any person or animal that touched or had contact with the bat or its saliva could be at risk of getting rabies. If you see a bat, don’t touch it! Bats lying on the ground, flying during daytime, making a lot of noise, or otherwise acting sick are more likely to have rabies.
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Anyone who might have had physical contact with this bat (even if not bitten) could be at risk and should seek medical evaluation immediately or call Public Health to determine if rabies preventative treatment is necessary.
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A disproportionate number of people in jails and prisons have chronic medical or behavioral health conditions. When people leave jail, it’s a unique moment to connect them to services in the community that they may not have known about before. Maliha, a social worker in the Jail Health Release Program, shares about what she does to help people with a range of health conditions as they transition out of incarceration.
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A rabid bat was found in Seattle on July 15, 2026, on the sidewalk on University Way Northeast, between NE 41st and NE 42nd streets. This is near Parrington Lawn, on the University of Washington campus, and is a busy area with many businesses. Anyone who might have had physical contact with this bat (even if not bitten) could be at risk and should seek medical evaluation immediately or call Public Health at 206-296-4774 to determine if rabies preventative treatment is necessary.
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A national outbreak of Cyclospora—more commonly known by its main symptom, explosive diarrhea–continues to grow, but here in King County, we have not seen any unexpected increases in cyclosporiasis (the disease caused by Cyclospora) so far. We talked with Ann Shen, the lead for foodborne and enteric disease investigations for Public Health – Seattle & King County, about the local situation.
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Beau, one of our septic experts, shares his passion for the importance of septic systems in protecting public health, safeguarding the environment, and allowing a property to function as a home.
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