The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) has confirmed that a bat collected from a Cary home Thursday has tested positive for rabies, marking the first human exposure of the 2025 season in McHenry County.
Two people and one animal were exposed after the residents awoke in the middle of the night to find a bat in a room with them, health department officials said.
The individuals are receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is the recommended course of treatment following potential rabies exposure.
The animal in the house is also receiving follow-up care, officials said.
Rabies is a deadly virus, but preventable with timely medical care, health department officials said.
Bite and scratch exposures from a bat can be very small and may go unnoticed.
McHenry County residents who find a bat in their home, encounter it, or are in the same room as the bat while sleeping should confine the bat to an enclosed room by closing the door and sealing any gaps at the base with a towel.
If the bat is in a main living area and there has been potential exposure to a person or pet, place an upside-down bucket over the bat, if possible, to contain it.
In either situation, residents should immediately contact McHenry County Animal Control at (815) 459-6222 to arrange for the bat’s collection and potential testing following an exposure risk assessment by the MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program.
For rabies testing, the bat must be in good condition (i.e., head intact) and either alive or recently deceased, health department officials said.
Questions about rabies exposure can be directed to the MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program at (815) 334-4500.
Bats become more active during the warmer months, officials said. A bat that is active during the day, found in an unusual location such as inside a home, or unable to fly, is potentially rabid.
Children should also be educated never to touch or handle wild animals.
The health department encourages residents to take proactive steps to prevent exposure by bat-proofing their homes. Since bats can enter through very small gaps, sealing cracks, capping chimneys, and replacing damaged or loose screens can help keep them out, officials said.
To prevent exposure to rabid bats, the McHenry County Health Department is warning people to ensure that doors, windows, and vents have securely framed screens free of holes, chimneys are capped, and gaps around utility lines are sealed.
People are also urged not to touch, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter, and never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
People are also urged to contact McHenry County Animal Control for assistance rather than nursing sick, wild animals back to health.