What was supposed to be a laid-back July 3 fireworks show in Mount Airy came with some unexpected aerial entertainment: bats swooping over the crowd and brushing past spectators. Now, county health officials are warning that those few chaotic minutes around 9:30 p.m. could carry a rabies risk.
Carroll County officials say several people reported contact with bats that appeared to fly out of the treeline as the show kicked off. None of the animals were caught, so none could be tested for rabies, and health officials are reminding residents that bat bites can be so small they go unnoticed in the moment.
County urges risk assessments for possible contacts
In a press release reposted by the Town of Mount Airy, the Carroll County Health Department said it has received multiple reports of people having contact with bats at the Mount Airy Fairgrounds. Anyone who knows or even suspects they may have touched a bat is urged to call their local health department for a rabies risk assessment.
"Rabies exposure occurs through bites and scratches or saliva from the animal getting into a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound," Joe Mancuso, Rabies Program Manager at the Carroll County Health Department, said.
What happened at the fairgrounds
The bats were first spotted around 9:30 p.m., just as the fireworks started, and several people reported possible contact with the animals, according to WMAR2News. Because none of the bats were captured at the scene, officials have no way to test them for rabies and are erring on the side of caution.
How officials evaluate exposure
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that any direct contact with a bat, including bites, scratches, or saliva that gets into the eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound, should be treated as a potential rabies exposure. Public health officials then determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis is needed.
According to CDC guidance, recommended treatment typically includes thoroughly washing any wounds, receiving human rabies immune globulin, and getting a series of rabies vaccines. When given before symptoms begin, this protocol is designed to prevent rabies from developing.
Why fireworks may push bats into crowds
Health experts say it is not entirely shocking that fireworks could send bats off their usual flight paths. Research suggests that loud noise, bright flashes, and smoke from fireworks can disrupt bats' feeding and flight patterns and push them out of the treelines where they normally hunt, which can increase the odds of unexpected encounters with people. A summary of recent field observations on how fireworks affect brown bats is outlined in reporting by Phys.org.
If you were at the show
In its notice, the Town of Mount Airy shared contact numbers for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed. Residents are asked to call the Carroll County Health Department at 410-876-1884, Frederick County Health Department at 301-600-3342, Howard County Health Department at 410-313-6284, or Montgomery County Health Department at 240-777-1755.
If you or your pet had direct contact with a bat, officials say you should immediately wash the area with soap and water, call your physician, and contact your local health department for a risk assessment. Based on that conversation, health officials will determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended.
Pets and prevention
Health officials are also using the incident as a reminder to keep pet rabies vaccinations up to date and to avoid handling wild animals, no matter how harmless they might look gliding overhead. Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms begin, but prompt medical evaluation and post-exposure prophylaxis are effective at preventing illness if given in time, according to the CDC.
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