Minneapolis Police Seek Woman Who Bagged Rabid Bat

A frantic search is rolling through Minneapolis after a woman was caught handling a rabid bat, sending residents into an immediate panic. Officials are now plastering flyers everywhere hoping to locate her before anyone else gets hurt. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) jumped into action on X after revealing the details of this terrifying encounter.

The suspect is described as a white female between 25 and 30 years old. She stands roughly 5ft 5in tall with curly brown hair. Witnesses say she was accompanied by a dog that looked like a golden retriever but had very curly fur. Footage shows her crouching down to pick up the animal before shoving it into a bag.

"If this was you please call 911 and ask to be connected to Animal Care & Control," MDH pleaded in their public message. The bat itself died on Hennepin Avenue near N. Washington Ave and N. 3rd Street back on Tuesday. It was sent away for testing and confirmed positive for the deadly virus.

Rabies is a nightmare disease with a nearly 100 percent fatality rate once humans catch it. Yet, there is hope if treatment starts before symptoms show up. Bites from these small bats can be tiny, painless, and leave no visible mark at all. Health officials warn that anyone who touched the animal must speak with a doctor immediately.

The virus takes time to travel to the brain, meaning incubation periods can stretch from weeks to months according to the CDC. This delay offers a window for prevention but also creates confusion among the public. Social media users on X reacted with shock and skepticism over the incident. Some joked about rumors linking it to COVID-19 origins while others demanded better education on zoonotic diseases.

One commenter asked if this was how we are being primed for Covid 2.0 before another user slammed the lack of consideration by animal rescuers. Another noted that the urgency felt strangely low despite the lethal nature of the infection. To calm fears, MDH clarified that there is zero risk of rabies without direct physical contact with the bat.

The department set up assessments all week for anyone who thought they had been exposed. They confirmed to Bring Me The News that these flyers were official notices posted around the City of Lakes. This marks the second confirmed case in Minnesota this past week, following a separate tragedy involving a cow on a farm in Brown County. That infected animal tested positive before dying and exposed nine people. Two domestic cats at the property had to be put down.

The Daily Mail has reached out to MDH for further comment on the developing story while residents wait anxiously for answers. Why did she touch that creature? And how can we prevent this from happening again in our neighborhoods?