McHenry County Warns After 1st Rabid Bat of 2026 Exposes Resident

1 articles · Updated · Lake and McHenry County Scanner · May 28

A bat found inside a McHenry County home tested positive for rabies, marking the county’s first confirmed rabid bat of 2026 after a resident was exposed.
Health officials recommended rabies post-exposure prophylaxis — a 4-shot series with immunoglobulins and vaccine — because untreated rabies can be fatal.
McHenry County said bats are Illinois’ main rabies source and warned that tiny bite marks can fade quickly, making some exposures easy to miss.
Residents who find a bat indoors were told to confine it, avoid touching it, and call Animal Control at 815-459-6222 so the animal can be collected and tested.
The alert comes as bats grow more active from late spring through summer; officials said outdoor-roosting bats should be left alone, while daytime or indoor bats may signal illness.

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