In the heart of Minneapolis, a chance encounter between a passerby and a grounded bat has become a quiet reminder that the boundary between the wild and the urban is never as firm as we imagine. A bat found on a downtown sidewalk in late September tested positive for rabies, prompting public health officials to locate a woman who had picked it up — an act of ordinary curiosity that carried serious consequence. Rabies is among the most lethal viruses known to humanity, yet it yields to prevention when caught in time, and that narrow window is precisely what now defines this story.
Rabid bat found on downtown Minneapolis sidewalk; woman who handled it urged to seek treatment
A woman who picked up the bat may have been exposed to rabies and could require post-exposure prophylaxis treatment.