NEED TO KNOW
Approximately 500 people are being alerted that they stayed in cabins where they might have been exposed to bats in the Jackson Lake Lodge at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming
The bat colony was discovered in late July, and the rooms have since been closed to the public to protect anyone from additional exposure
Thus far, none of the bats that have been tested came back positive for rabies, but it is estimated to be a very small number of those who live in the attic space
Many people could have been exposed to rabies after a colony of bats was found residing in the attic of a lodge at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
So far, none of the bats discovered in some of the cabins at Jackson Lake Lodge have tested positive for rabies, according to CNN.
However, Wyoming State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist told the outlet that the bats found and tested were likely to only be a small amount of the high number of bats in the cabins’ attic.
Officials revealed that they were tracking people who visited from 38 states and seven countries, per Wyoming Public Radio and CNN. It’s estimated that around 500 guests have stayed in the cabins from May to late July when the colony was discovered, according to the latter outlet.
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The Jackson Lake Lodge
On Aug. 8, the National Park Service issued a statement to people who had visited the Jackson Lake Lodge.
“A suspected bat colony was recently discovered in an attic space above guest rooms 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 at the Jackson Lake Lodge,” the release read. “There is no immediate threat to the public.”
The Wyoming Health Department directed PEOPLE to the National Park Service’s statement when asked about the matter.
A representative for Grand Teton National Park shared the following statement with PEOPLE: “Grand Teton National Park staff are working closely with the NPS Office of Health and Safety, Wyoming Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Grand Teton Lodge Company to address potential guest exposures to bats in the Jackson Lake Lodge. The Wyoming Department of Health is leading the response and is working with other state public health officials to contact individuals who stayed in the affected rooms from May 15 to July 27, 2025, to see if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies prevention treatment.”
The National Park Service’s online statement continued: “Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are leading the effort to coordinate with the affected guests’ local public health officials, who will conduct rabies risk assessments.”
The service said that guests are being contacted to see if they were exposed to any bats during their stay and to see “if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies preventive treatment.”
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Jackson Lake Lodge sign
“Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment,” the notice continued.
There have so far been eight cases of people who might have been exposed to bats since June 2.
“As a precaution, the affected rooms are closed while public health professionals conduct further assessments and provide recommendations for mitigation,” officials said.
Bats are known to carry the virus for rabies, according to CNN. Symptoms can include vomiting, itching and muscle aches.
While cases are likely to be fatal when symptoms show up, Harrist told the outlet that a five-shot prophylactic course during a two-week period after being exposed, had a high chance of preventing sickness.
“The lodge company has done a fantastic job of doing their due diligence of making sure everyone that is coming in for that, and for all other visits this year, are going to be as safe as possible,” Wyoming’s public health veterinarian Emily Curren told CNN.
She added that bats usually live in colonies from 30 up to 100.
“That’s a lot of bats that we cannot rule out a risk of rabies being in,” Curren said. “There’s no way for us to know for certain about every single bat that got into these rooms.”
Grand Teton National Park spokesperson Emily Davis also said the bats would not be exterminated, per CNN.
Instead, methods were being put in place to stop the bats from flying back inside the cabins.
PEOPLE contacted the Grand Teton Lodge Company for a comment but has not heard back at the time of publication.
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