A child in Ontario has tragically died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in their bedroom, health officials have confirmed.
Dr Malcolm Lock of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit revealed the news at a local council meeting, stating that the unnamed child was bitten by the bat in a region north of Sudbury.
Despite the incident, the parents did not notice any visible bite marks or scratches and unfortunately did not seek immediate medical attention or rabies vaccinations. This marks the first domestically-acquired case of human rabies in Ontario since 1967.
The child, whose age has not been disclosed, was taken to hospital in early September following the encounter and subsequently succumbed to the disease.
Rabies is a rare but fatal viral infection that can be transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals, including bats, coyotes, foxes, or raccoons. The disease can cause severe brain and spinal cord damage, leading to almost certain death once symptoms appear.
Dr Lock highlighted a concerning trend of increasing rabies cases among bats in the southern Ontario region he oversees, rising from less than 10% to 16% in recent years.
He emphasized the importance of seeking immediate medical attention for any form of exposure to bats, even if there are no apparent bite marks. Prompt treatment and vaccination are crucial to prevent the development of rabies.
Health Canada reports that human rabies cases in Canada are exceedingly rare. Since records began in 1924, there have been only 28 cases across six provinces, all of which resulted in fatalities.
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