A bat that tested positive for rabies near a Ballantyne apartment complex led to two reported human exposures, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control alert reported by Queen City News.
The agency sent the rabies alert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, to residents in the 14200 block of Ballantyne Lake Road. No domestic pet exposures were reported.
The case is the eighth confirmed rabies case in Mecklenburg County in 2026 and the third involving a bat. Two of the county's eight cases this year involved raccoons. In 2025, five rabid bats were discovered countywide.
Residents with questions about potential human exposures can contact Mecklenburg County's Communicable Disease office at 980-314-9201.
What to do after bat contact
Bat bites do not always leave obvious marks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC advises that any direct contact with a bat should be reported to a medical provider or a local public health department, even without a visible wound.
County rabies trend
Mecklenburg County Public Health confirmed a separate rabies case earlier this summer when a coyote exposed a human and a pet in Huntersville on Saturday, June 6, according to The Charlotte Post. A complete breakdown of all eight 2026 cases by species and location has not been released publicly.
Residents who encounter a bat or other wild animal acting erratically should avoid contact and call Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control.
