Bat stows away on Delta flight, CDC fears rabies risk to passengers

By Christopher Seward

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Passengers on a Delta flight from Wisconsin to Atlanta last week are being urged to contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make sure they were not exposed to the rabies virus.

Officials are trying to determine if anyone came into contact with a bat found on Delta Flight 5121 from Madison, Wis., shortly after takeoff at 6:45 a.m. Aug. 5. The flight was operated by Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines.

The CDC said the flight returned to the Madison airport after the bat began flying through the cabin. The bat made several passes before passengers were able to trap it in the airplane lavatory, but the animal got away before authorities could collect it.

As a result, health officials were unable to test the bat to determine if it was rabid.

Officials now want to alert the 50 passengers on the flight about the possible risk. The CDC said it has been able to contact 14 passengers and is trying to reach 36 others.

Bats can spread the rabies virus to humans through bites, scratches or by getting infected bat saliva in a wound, eyes, nose, or mouth.

“Although the risk of rabies exposure is very low, CDC staff are contacting passengers and airline and airport personnel that may have had contact with the bat as a precaution to determine if they actually had direct contact with the bat,” the agency said in a statement.

CDC officials asked anyone on the flight to call 866-613-2683.