Rabid Bat Found Inside Home Triggers Rabies Advisory in McHenry County

A resident found a bat inside a McHenry County home that tested positive for rabies, marking the county’s first rabid bat of 2026. The resident was exposed and was advised to receive rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Animal Control collected the bat for testing, and the McHenry County Department of Health urged containment of any indoor bat, provided steps to prevent future intrusions, and noted that rabies in Illinois is primarily transmitted by bats and is not typically spread person-to-person.