Rabid Bat Confirmed in Weld County—What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

I have been lucky enough to never experience any sort of case of rabies in my life. I've never encountered an animal that has been infected with this deadly disease.

Why Colorado Locals Are Always on Alert for Rabies

Here in Colorado, locals are well aware of the dangers of rabies.

A recent incident in Weld County has residents on high alert.

Get our free mobile app

Rabies Case Confirmed in Weld County, Colorado

READ MORE: Oldest Cold Case in Weld County, Colorado Has Finally Been Solved

What Happened at Highland Lake in Mead?

In early May, Weld County officials were made aware of a bat located East of Highland Lake in Mead.

Reports claim that on Monday, May 5th, this bat was flying around "unusually" on the ground. Officials from the Center for Disease Control claim that "unusual" bat behaviors like; being active during the day, an inability to fly, or being found in unusual places is a clear sign of a rabies infection.

How Officials Confirmed the Rabies Case

Once this creature was captured, it was sent to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment laboratory for testing. The very next day, positive results came back confirming that this creature had rabies.

First Rabies Case in Colorado for 2025

This marks the first confirmed rabies case in Colorado this year, according to reports.

What to Do If You Were Near Highland Lake

Officials are warning anyone who was in the Highland Lake area and believes they might have come into contact with the rabies infested bat to contact the Weld County Department of Health and Environment at 970-400-2290.

What Is Rabies and How Is It Spread?

Rabies is a "deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is usually transmitted through a bite," according to the Mayo Clinic.

Some of the most common carriers of the virus are bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks.

This is still a developing story. We will keep you updated as more details come out regarding this outbreak.

Stay up to date with everything going on in Northern Colorado and beyond by downloading the free station app from your app store.

Also, do not forget to follow the station across all social media platforms for the latest news updates.