News Release 

TOMPKINS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Alice Cole, RN, MSE – Public Health Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-
URGENT UPDATE

Date: August 27, 2008
Contact Persons: Frank Chase or Skip Parr 274-6688

The Tompkins County Health Department further describes the man we must locate.
He was bitten by a rabid bat in a City park.

(ITHACA) On Tuesday, August 26, 2008, the Tompkins County Health Department received word from the NYS Rabies Laboratory that a bat from a City of Ithaca public park has tested positive for the rabies virus. The bat was captured on Sunday, August 24, 2008, by the Health Department. It was on the ground in the park directly across West Marshall Street from the house at 112 West Marshall. This small park is directly across North Cayuga Street from the Northside Kinney Pharmacy and across Cascadilla Street from Gimme Coffee.

The man we seek was definitely bitten by the bat while he picked it up. He stated that the bat bit him and exclaimed at the pain it caused. He is described as twenty to twenty-five years old, white, approximately 6 feet tall with brown hair longer in back than on the sides and dark eyes. His arms and hands are tattooed with particularly noticeable tattoos on his knuckles. He was with a young woman with blonde dread-locks. They had a medium dog that was not on a leash. This man must begin the five-injection rabies post-exposure regimen immediately. Without rabies shots, this man could incubate rabies, become rabid and die.
Any assistance the media or the public can give to locate this man may save his life.

Remember, all bats are presumed to carry rabies unless proven not rabid by laboratory test! If possible, avoid contact with any bat. A bat bite, bat scratch or direct skin contact with a bat must be treated as a rabies exposure unless the bat is captured for rabies testing. When a bat is found near a sleeping person or unattended child, a rabies exposure is presumed because of the possibility that the bat directly contacted the person’s skin without the person knowing it. Capture the bat, freeze it to kill it and call the Tompkins County Health Department, Environmental Health Division at 274-6688 to arrange for it to be shipped to the NYS Rabies Laboratory for rabies analysis.
 

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