The Nebraska Zoo says 200 people may have been hit by a frenzy

[ad_1]

Omaha, Neb. The zoo said nearly 200 people may have been exposed to a frenzy during their overnight stay at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha.

Health officials at the Nebraska Zoo have recommended that the approximately 186 campers who have stayed overnight in the aquarium in recent weeks, as well as some employees, receive rabies injections.

A camper woke on July 4th with a wild bat circling around her head. The zoo’s emergency medical technician found no bites or scratches on her.

The zoo found seven wild bats in the aquarium and mercilessly killed them. One of them tested positive for rabies.

The zoo said in a news release Friday that it has recommended that people exposed to wild bats in their sleep receive rabies injections. The zoo gave refunds to campers and paid for the shots.

The director of animal health, Dr Sarah Woodhouse, said in a statement that guests who visited the aquarium during the day should not worry as the bats come out only at night.

“The bats we identified were small brown bats, which are a common type of Nebraska bat that anyone can find in their backyard or attic,” Woodhouse said. “It is not unusual for a wild bat to get rabies, which is why you should never touch a wild bat directly.”

Zoo staff found no signs of long-term bats in the aquarium. The zoo said it has moved all its overnight camping events elsewhere as workers try to determine how bats entered the building.

[ad_2]