A child died of rabies in northern Ontario, Canada, after waking up to a bat in his room.
“The parents looked at the child and saw no signs of a bite – from the bat -, scratch or saliva and did not seek a rabies vaccine […] This child is now deceased.”summarized Malcolm Lock, medical consultant in public health Thursday October 3, 2024, relates The Montreal Journaltaken up in particular by BFM.
The child, whose age and gender are not specified, woke up one morning to a bat in his room. He did not appear to have come into contact with the animal and his parents did not seek to vaccinate him against rabies.
Died in hospital
The child was taken to hospital, where he died. This is the first case of rabies infection in humans contracted in Ontario since 1967, according to Radio Canada. “It is very important for anyone who has been in contact – with a bat – to consult a doctor”recalled the public health consultant on Canadian radio.
Rabies is still responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths each year today, underlines the Pasteur Institute. It can be effectively prevented by vaccination but is always fatal once the first signs of the disease appear. Transmission occurs by direct contact with the saliva of an animal contaminated by bite, scratch or even licking on the excoriated skin of a mucous membrane.
What symptoms?
After a few days to a few months of incubation, symptoms begin with difficulty swallowing and anxiety. Hydrophobia is sometimes observed.
Once the signs are declared, the progression is towards coma and death within a few hours to a few days, again according to the Pasteur Institute. Apart from a few described cases, the outcome is always fatal when the disease is declared.
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