Pests and vermin can sometimes be a part of the whole college dorm life experience.
But what happened to students at Northern Arizona University (NAU) goes way past a few bugs or pests.
Hundreds of NAU students were forced to relocate this past weeked due to rabies-infected bats invading the dorms.
According to local outlet Arizona Family, nearly 550 students who live at Mountain View Hall, a dormitory that houses mainly sophomores and freshmen, were impacted.
“A bat was captured in early September in NAU’s Mountain View Hall, which was tested and confirmed positive for rabies. In close consultation with Coconino County Health and Human Services, NAU issued guidance to residents on health and safety and initiated mitigation protocols throughout the building supported by a pest control contractor,” NAU Communications said in a statement. The university added that these measures proved insufficient as evidence of “additional bats” was found in the dorm.
“[W]e have determined that to best provide for the health, wellbeing, and academic success of our students all residents will be relocated from Mountain View to other nearby apartments. This supports our students and will allow for comprehensive and permanent bat mitigation efforts to take place in the building,” NAU said.
Thankfully, student were given a pass for any late work or assignments due to the massive inconvenience.
“Students have also received an Institutional Excuse – an excused absence letter from the Dean of Students and the Provost. The letter affords students the flexibility if they need to miss a class or delay completing or submitting coursework during the next week due to the situation in Mountain View and the relocation process,” NAU continued.
No student has so far reported being injured. A few students received rabies shots out of an abundance of caution.