Ontario child dies of rabies after contact with bat in their home

A child has died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in northern Ontario, a health official has confirmed.

The news was shared by Dr. Malcolm Lock, the acting medical officer of health for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, during an October 2 board of health meeting.

"We've had one unfortunate death from rabies," said Lock.

"[The child] woke up with a bat in their room. The parents looked at the child, didn't see any signs of a bite, or scratches, or saliva and didn't seek getting the rabies vaccine. Unfortunately, that child is now deceased," he said.

Lock noted that more bats in the Haldimand-Norfolk area are testing positive for rabies.

"This year, as opposed to previous years, the bats themselves are testing positive. We've had a 16 per cent positivity rate of tested bats for rabies this year as opposed to the less than [10 per cent] in the previous years," he explained.

Lock stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical care if exposed to the disease.

A statement from a communications representative of Ontario's Brant County Health Unit stated that it was "important to inform the public about the presence of the rabies virus and its potential risks to humans and the community, which we have done and will continue to do."

"However, any updates or confirmation regarding the individual's personal health will not be provided."

According to Health Canada, rabies is a rare disease most commonly transmitted to humans in the saliva of an affected animal.

"It is highly neurotropic and causes fatal encephalomyelitis once the infection is established and reaches the central nervous system," reads the agency's statement.

It added that children are considered at higher risk of contracting the disease because of the frequency of interactions they have with animals.

Since rabies case reporting first began in Canada in 1924, there have been 26 human cases in six provinces, all of which were fatal.