Update 6/26/2024 - In our June 24 news release, we reported that the first mosquitoes with West Nile Virus in Larimer County were found in Loveland. We have since learned that the test results were falsely positive. We will alert the media when and where the first positive pools are found. We will also alert the media when a positive human case of West Nile virus is reported in Larimer County. 

As temperatures are forecasted to rise into the high nineties for the next several days, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment is urging all residents to take necessary precautions to stay cool and safe. 

Heat-related deaths have been increasing in the United States, with over 2,300 deaths across the country in 2023 alone. Last year during the warm season, 69 Larimer County residents visited an emergency department for heat-related illness, a number the Health Department aims to reduce. 

The Larimer County Department of Health is alerting residents that a rabid bat was found Thursday in Twin Silo Park, which is located at the intersection of Zeigler and Ketcher roads in Fort Collins. The bat was near the northwest corner of the park. The bat was tested and results received Friday confirmed the bat was positive for rabies. 

If you, your children, or your pets had direct contact with a bat in this area, please notify the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment by calling 970-498-6666. 

Email: Jo Buckley

The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE) has confirmed that a bat in Larimer County has tested positive for rabies. This is the first rabid animal found in Larimer County this year. The sick bat was found on a porch in a neighborhood near Drake and Timberline in Fort Collins on Thursday, April 25. The bat was captured by NOCO Humane Animal Protection & Control and later tested positive for rabies. 

The Larimer County Board of Health has approved the 2024-2029 Larimer County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), marking a significant step towards enhancing the well-being of local residents. This comprehensive plan outlines collaborative efforts to be undertaken over the next five-years aimed at fostering better health outcomes for all people in Larimer County.

Larimer County ranks among the healthiest counties in the state of Colorado, according to the new County Health Rankings data from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI). 

The new County Health Rankings report, which is released annually, shows that Larimer County scores high in many areas: