Miami County Bat Tests Positive for Rabies
Information from Miami County Public Health
MIAMI COUNTY - On May 1st, 2026, Miami County Public Health was informed of a bat from Miami County that tested positive for rabies. The bat was found inside a home in Miami County and sent to the Ohio Department of Health Laboratory and tested for rabies, and a positive result was confirmed. The last confirmed case of rabies in an animal in Miami County was a bat that tested positive in 2022.
Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can be spread to people and pets through the bites and scratches of an infected animal. Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe brain disease and death if medical care is not received before symptoms start.
If you may have been exposed to rabies, you should urgently seek medical attention. Medical care following a rabies exposure is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a series of four or five rabies vaccines, which must be given as soon as possible after an exposure. You must get this care to prevent the disease from developing, and it's nearly 100% effective if you get it after exposure.
The disease is rare in people in the United States, with fewer than 10 deaths reported each year. But because it's found in wildlife throughout the country, rabies poses a serious public health threat.
If you have a bat in a room in your house and do not know if you were exposed:
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Close all windows and doors and leave the bat in the room.
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Call a professional to capture the bat.
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If you cannot reach a licensed professional to capture the bat, put on leather gloves and slowly approach the bat when it lands. Place a see-through container over the bat and slide a lid under the container to trap the bat inside. Securely tape the lid to the container and punch small holes in the lid so the bat can breathe.
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Call your local health department to arrange for rabies testing.
If you’ve been in contact with any wildlife or unfamiliar animals, particularly if you’ve been bitten or scratched, you should talk with a healthcare professional to determine your risk for rabies or other illnesses. Wash any wounds immediately with soap and water and then plan to see a healthcare provider.
For more information on rabies go to https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/about/index.html