First rabies case of 2026 confirmed in Burlington cat, four exposed

Alamance County health officials confirmed the county’s first rabies case of 2026 after a cat in Burlington tested positive, exposing four people in a neighborhood near South Ashland Drive and Tyron Street. The exposure was reported April 29, and the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed the cat was rabid on April 30.

The Alamance County Health Department said the four people identified as exposed were advised to begin post-exposure treatment immediately. Officials also urged anyone else who may be concerned about contact in that Burlington area to call the county’s on-call communicable disease nurse without waiting. The case is a sharp reminder that rabies is not a distant risk in rural wildlife alone. This case was tied to a Burlington neighborhood, close to homes, pets and daily foot traffic.

Health officials told residents to treat any bite seriously. If an animal bites, wash the wound with soap and running water for 10 minutes and seek medical attention right away. People should also try to note the location and description of the animal, but should not try to catch a stray or wild animal. If the animal belongs to someone, officials want the owner’s name and address passed along to animal control or the health department.

The county also reminded pet owners that North Carolina law requires owned dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age, and that protection must stay current. A single shot is not enough. Keeping pets up to date lowers the risk that a household exposure turns into a larger public-health emergency.

The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health is the state’s sole diagnostic rabies testing source, and Alamance County has dealt with animal rabies cases in prior years, including multiple confirmed incidents in 2018. Burlington Animal Services and county health resources provide rabies vaccination information and clinic options, including the Burlington Animal Services Clinic, as officials push prevention as the fastest defense against a disease that remains fatal once symptoms begin.