AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – The first rabies case of 2026 has been reported in the Texas Panhandle. According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, a skunk in Randall County recently tested positive.
In 2025 there were 14 cases of rabies confirmed in the Panhandle, including 11 skunks. Six of those cases were found in Childress County. Randall County had four confirmed cases in 2025, which included three skunks and one fox.
Rabies on the rise in U.S.: What to know
Rabies is an infection of the nervous system caused by a virus transmitted through a bite from an infected animal, as noted by DSHS, or if saliva from a rabid animal contacts mucous membranes or open wounds. Rabies is fatal once symptoms begin, and DSHS noted only a series of shots can keep a person who has had contact with a rabid animal from contracting the disease.
The Texas DSHS reported a total of 33 cases have been confirmed across the state already in 2026…