Rabid bat marks first rabies case of 2026 confirmed in Flathead County

FLATHEAD COUNTY, Mont. – A bat found inside a house in Flathead County tested positive for rabies, marking the first positive case of rabies recorded by the county in 2026. 

The Flathead County Health Department used its announcement about the case to remind residents about rabies prevention and bat exposure. 

“With summer approaching and bat activity increasing, the likelihood of human and pet encounters also rises. Most bats do not carry rabies, but laboratory testing is the only way to confirm infection,” the Health Department wrote in its announcement.

The department said that if a bat has contact with a person or animal, that bat should be “safely captured and submitted for rabies testing.” The Flathead City-County Health Department covers the cost of this testing.

“Because bat bites may be difficult to detect, testing the bat is important whenever one is found in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, or someone who may not be aware of contact,” the department wrote. 

The department said testing a bat for rabies requires the brain/head to be intact and should be refrigerated until submitted for testing. “Do not freeze” the bat, the department added.

Further instructions for safely capturing a bat for testing are available on the FCCHD rabies information page.

If the bat is not available for testing and a person or animal has a bite, scratch or made direct contact, the situation should be treated as rabies exposure and proper follow-up is recommended, the department said. 

The department added reminders for community members to “not feed or handle wild animals, especially bats,” to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies, to bat-proof their house and to watch for abnormal wildlife behavior.