Kent County health officials are reminding residents to take precautions when dealing with wild animals after rabies was confirmed in a bat, the county’s first confirmed wild animal case this year and the 15th statewide.
Rabies, a deadly but preventable disease can spread to people and pets through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, health officials say. The virus infects the central nervous system causing brain disease and then death. Human deaths from rabies are extremely rare in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
Because bats can enter homes undetected, residents should take precautions, the Kent County Health Department said.
“During the summer, bats can enter homes while seeking safe, warm places to give birth and raise their young. Young bats may also accidentally find their way inside as they learn to fly and navigate on their own,” said Cathy Armstrong, Kent County communicable disease program supervisor. “If it’s unclear whether a person or pet may have had direct contact with a bat, testing the bat is the best way to rule out any risk of rabies exposure. Because bats have very small teeth, a bite may not always be obvious in situations such as when someone was sleeping.”
In the U.S., rabies is mostly found in wild animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, but any mammal can become infected.
Since 2020, there have been 16 rabies-positive animals reported in Kent County.
Statewide, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed 15 rabid animals so far in 2026, according to an online dashboard. Of animals confirmed to have rabies, 14 were bats and one was a skunk.
There are about 60 animal rabies cases reported each year in Michigan, according to the MDHHS. Of those cases, about 90% are in bats.
In 2025, 42 bats tested positive for the viral disease. The last time a cat or dog was infected was in 2023 when one of each was confirmed with the virus.
What should I do if a bat gets into my home?
Residents should take the following steps:
Should I worry about my pets getting rabies?
Pets can be at risk if a bat enters your home, Angela Hollinshead, director of Kent County Health Department said in a news release.
Keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date is the most effective way to protect your home, Hollinshead said.
What symptoms does rabies produce?
The early symptoms of rabies in people are not specific to rabies and may include fever, headache, general weakness, and discomfort that may include prickling or an itching sensation at the site of a bite. These symptoms may last for days.
Over time, symptoms that are more specific to brain dysfunction appear and may include difficulty sleeping, anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, agitation, partial paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water).
Once symptoms of rabies occur, the disease is nearly always fatal. Treatment at this stage is typically supportive.
You cannot tell if an animal has rabies by looking at it, but animals with rabies may behave strangely or in ways you don’t expect, according to MDHHS.
To prevent rabies in a person that has potentially been exposed to rabies, a series of injections must be initiated and completed. This is called Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rabid bat in Kent County is 15th confirmed animal case in Michigan
Reporting by Jalen Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK / Detroit Free Press
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