“We had an unfortunate death from rabies, which highlights the fact that the disease […] is still circulating,” Dr. Malcolm Lock, interim medical officer of health for Haldimand-Norfolk County, confirmed at a board of health meeting Wednesday.
This text is a translation of an article from CTV News
The nearby Brant County Health Unit confirmed a case of human rabies in early September. According to Ontario Public Health, this is the first recorded case of domestic human rabies since 1967.
“Unfortunately, the case we had was of a child who woke up to a bat in his room. The parents examined the child and saw no signs of bites, scratches or saliva, and did not seek rabies vaccinations. Unfortunately, the child died,” added Dr. Lock.
Although the Brant County Health Unit confirmed that the affected resident had been hospitalized, it never released further details about the patient’s identity, including their age.
Dr. Malcom Lock reminds that you should always consult a doctor if you have reason to believe that a person has been in contact with a bat.
Once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Infection can be prevented by immediate medical intervention, including a series of vaccinations.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical health officer, previously said the disease was believed to have been contracted by a bat in Gowganda, in northern Ontario, in the Timiskaming region.
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