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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Health officials are reporting record numbers of bat exposure cases this summer, with the Pima County Health Department expecting to exceed 160 cases in July alone — more than double in the same month last year.
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Officials said the increase is being driven largely by bats entering homes, though the underlying cause of the overall uptick remains unclear.
Dr. Ellen Santos, epidemiology program manager for the Pima County Health Department, said the region sits along a bat migration route that brings higher bat activity each spring and summer.
“Where we are in Pima County, we are part of a bat migration pathway, so every spring and summer we get a lot more bats coming to our area,” Santos said.
Santos said data and reports from those responding to bat-related calls both point to residential encounters as the primary driver.
“Mostly noting that they are getting more calls about people finding bats in their homes, and that’s mostly what we believe is driving our increase also,” Santos said.
Marc Hammond, co-owner of Arizona Animal Experts Wildlife Services, said he has seen the trend firsthand.
“I could just tell you right now, we’ve got more this year than we have last year or the year before,” Hammond said.
Tucson Medical Center said its pediatric department treated 20 patients for bat exposure in a single week.
Hammond said bats in southern Arizona most commonly enter homes through soffits, ridgelines and, at times, attics.
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The reason for the increase has not been determined. Santos offered one possible explanation.
“There’s the thought that more monsoon rain might mean more food for bats, so maybe more bats. That’s just a hypothesis that I have at this point. We don’t know for sure,” Santos said.
Despite the record numbers, Hammond said the risk to residents outdoors — including those exercising at night or spending time in areas where bats are present — is limited.
“Very small. I’m not gonna say it’s never gonna happen,” Hammond said. “They don’t attack. It’s just that, the way, they’re fast.”
Health officials said residents who find a bat inside their home should keep it contained and contact a professional for removal so the animal can be tested for rabies.
Anyone who has had contact with a bat should contact their physician to assess their risk level and determine whether a rabies vaccine is needed.
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