Rabies detected in Englewood bat; 2 people treated for exposure

AURORA | The Arapahoe County Public Health identified their first case of rabies in an animal this year

In a Tuesday statement from the county, a bat found near East Quincy Avenue and South Sante Fe Drive in Englewood tested positive for the virus. 

Two people were exposed to the bat and started preventative treatment, according to the press statement. The county recommends that humans and pets who have been exposed to bats, especially in this neighborhood, contact their health provider as well as Arapahoe County Public Health. They can be reached at 303-734-4379. 

This is the fourth incident of rabies reported in Colorado this year. 

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, there were 55 cases of rabies detected in Colorado wildlife in 2023. Of those, 43 cases were found in bats. 

State data also shows that there was only one case of rabies detected in Arapahoe county last year. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rabies is a fatal but preventable disease. It affects the central nervous system and causes brain disease and death if someone doesn’t receive medical care before symptoms start. While rabies in humans is rare, it is still considered a public health threat because of its high death rate. 

Arapahoe County’s advice to prevent rabies are: vaccinate pets and wildlife and keep them away from wildlife; do not touch or feed wildlife, including baby animals; have conversations with children about staying away from wildlife and instructing them to contact an adult if they encounter an animal. 

“It’s important to take possible exposure to rabies seriously, even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal,” Melissa Adair, Arapahoe County’s communicable disease epidemiology manager, said in the press statement.

“The other thing we often see is that people have really big hearts and want to help animals they worry may be sick, hurt or abandoned. Unfortunately, this rarely results in good outcomes for the animals, but instead puts humans and their pets at risk of illness,” Adair said. “We recommend putting distance between yourself and any animal that is acting strangely, then calling local animal control or the Colorado Department of Wildlife instead of intervening yourself.”