ONTARIO, CANADA – In a heartbreaking development, a young child from northern Ontario has succumbed to rabies acquired after a bedroom encounter with a bat. This marks a grim milestone as the province’s first domestic rabies fatality in over five decades.
At a health board meeting, Dr. Malcolm Lock shared details of the case, explaining that the bat’s presence in the child’s bedroom went unnoticed until it was too late. With no visible bites or scratches, the decision not to vaccinate proved fatal.
The unidentified child was hospitalized in early September following the incident but could not be saved. Rabies, while rare, is an invariably fatal virus once symptoms present, primarily spread by saliva from infected animals like bats.
Recent figures from southern Ontario show an increase in rabies-infected bats, underscoring the importance of immediate medical attention for any suspected exposure.
Canadian rabies cases are uncommon, with just 28 documented since 1924, all fatal. Bats are often the source, whether in Canada or abroad, according to Health Canada.
The U.S. experiences fewer than ten rabies deaths annually, a downward trend from past decades due to successful preventive strategies. From 2009 to 2018, the CDC reported 25 human cases, with a significant portion contracted internationally, primarily from bats.
In the UK, all rabies cases have originated from overseas since 1902, with 26 instances recorded post-1946. A notable 2002 case involved a Scottish bat handler succumbing to a rabies-like virus, though bats present minimal risk to humans.
The latest UK case in 2018 saw a traveler contracting rabies in Morocco from a cat bite.