Seven People Bitten by Bats in Baldwin County in One Week
By J. Thomas Wade
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
October 21, 2026
FAIRHOPE, Ala. Doctors at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope has seen an unusual number of patients coming in with “bat bites”.
In just the past week, six patients have been treated at Thomas Hospital after being exposed to or bitten by a bat in the past week.
Doctors in the area say that see occasional exposures and occasional bites, but this week has been an unusual one.
“Having multiple patients all on the same day, and patients that didn’t really know each other, just multiple different instances were pretty unique,” Dr. Tory Andrews said.
Bats frequently carry rabies which is a life-threatening emergency.
A tiny bite from a bat could be a real pain in the neck, and in some cases can cause serious health risks, especially if left untreated. Dr. Andrews is an emergency medicine physician at Thomas Hospital’s ER and said it’s important that people take these situations seriously.
Bats do congregate in large numbers and will go on the defensive, said Dr. Preston.
“Bat mouths and teeth are extremely tiny, and sometimes you don’t even see a wound at all.”
Bat bites and exposures require immediate medical attention because bat teeth are very small and can leave marks that are hard to see. You may not feel the bite at all, said Dr. Preston.
“We recommend coming in as soon as you can, because the sooner that you’re able to start treatment, the better, more effective it can be,” Dr. Andrews added.
If a rabid bat transmits the virus and treatment is not started, symptoms typically appear 1 to 3 months later (though sometimes sooner or much later):
- Early signs: Flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, weakness, and discomfort, prickling, or itching at the bite site.
- Neurological signs: Anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, hallucinations, insomnia, fear of water (hydrophobia), and excessive salivation.
- Outcome: Once clinical symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
What to Do Right Away
- Wash the wound immediately with soap and water for several minutes.
- Do not wait for symptoms to appear; go to an urgent care center or emergency room right away.
- Capture the bat safely (if it can be done without risking another bite) using a container and heavy gloves so public health officials can test it for rabies
Wildlife experts say that Alabama is home to16 different bat species, including common attic and tree roosters like the big brown bat and eastern red bat, as well as cave-dwellers like the endangered gray bat and Indiana bat. All native species are insectivores that help control pests.
Generally, bats sleep during the day and are seen at night when more bugs are out and flying around.
Experts also said that bats generally do not attack humans unless they feel threatened or accidentally come into contact with them.
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