Health official confirms death of Ontario child following rabies diagnosis

An Ontario child has died after coming in contact with a rabid bat, a health official confirmed on Wednesday.

“We’ve had one unfortunate death from rabies which also highlights the fact that rabies is still an entity. It’s still circulating,” Dr. Malcolm Lock, the acting medical officer of health for Haldimand-Norfolk County, said during a health board meeting.

The nearby Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) confirmed the infection in early September. According to Public Health Ontario, it was the first case of domestic human rabies recorded since 1967.

“Unfortunately, the case that we had, it was a child, and basically they woke up with a bat in the room,” Lock explained. “The parents looked at the child and didn’t see any signs of a bite or scratches or saliva, and didn’t seek… the rabies vaccine. So unfortunately, that child is now deceased.”

While the BCHU previously confirmed the resident had been hospitalized, they never revealed details about the identity of the patient, including their age.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the health unit said any information or confirmation regarding the clinical status of the individual's health would not be provided.

“Our duty is 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,” the BCHU stated.

Lock said the death is a reminder to always seek medical attention if there’s reason to believe anyone has had any contact with a bat.

Once the rabies symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal.

An infection can be prevented, however, if immediate medical intervention, including a series of vaccinations, is received.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, previously said the illness was believed to have been acquired from a bat in northern Ontario’s Gowganda area, in the Timiskaming region.

‘Few survive’

Rabies is an “almost invariably fatal disease,” according to Scott Weese of the Ontario Veterinary College.

“There have been a few individuals who have survived,” he told CTV News on Thursday.

Identifying exposure and seeking help could be the difference between life and death.

“Post-exposure treatments are highly effective,” Weese said. “The problem is when people don’t recognize the exposure and don’t get them done.”

When it comes to bats in particular, Weese said people may not know when they’re in danger.

“That's always the concern with bats because bats have small teeth, and you don't always recognize the bites,” he explained. “We try to layer on different protections like vaccinating animals, staying away from wildlife, but ultimately its people understanding the risk and making sure they talk to public health.”

Public Health Canada said, before the most recent infection, there were 26 human rabies cases in six provinces since reporting began in 1924. All of those cases were fatal.