At Shelley Lake in Raleigh, a resident's instinct to save a drowning bat became an unexpected encounter with one of nature's oldest and most feared viruses. The bat, pulled from the water by hand in early September, later tested positive for rabies — transforming a moment of compassion into a public health event. It is a story as old as human coexistence with the wild: the impulse to help, and the hidden cost that sometimes follows.
Bat rescued from Shelley Lake drowning tests positive for rabies
One resident exposed to rabies virus through direct contact with infected bat; post-exposure treatment may be required.