Dead bat found in store's Halloween section was rabid

A dead bat found inside a store on Olympia’s west side has tested positive for rabies, according to the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services department.

Two customers found the bat Sept. 9 in the Halloween section of the Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store. The health department was notified on Monday and sent the bat to the Washington State Public Health Laboratories for testing.



On Wednesday, the lab notified Public Health and Social Services that the bat had rabies. The pair who found the bat received rabies vaccinations as a precaution.

County health officials are asking the store’s customers to call if they may have touched the bat at the store between Sept. 2 and Sept. 9. “People who walked, shopped, or worked at Jo-Ann’s are not at risk unless they came in contact with the bat,” Dr. Diana Yu, Thurston County Health Officer, said.