Rabies tragedy in Ontario: First case in 60 years shocks Canada
The parents did not notice the bat that flew into the bedroom, resulting in their child contracting rabies and tragically passing away. Canadian media are raising the alarm as this is the first such case in nearly sixty years.
The unusual incident occurred in the Canadian province of Ontario when a bat entered the child's bedroom.
As health officials quoted by the BBC reported, the parents did not notice wounds or scratches on the child's body, leading to the rabies infection.
The child was taken to the hospital too late, and as a result, the rabies vaccine was not administered in time. According to Canadian health officials, this is Ontario's first human rabies case since 1967.
"It's extremely important that anyone who has a form of exposure [to bats] seeks medical attention," said Dr. Malcolm Lock from the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, adding that treatment and vaccination should occur quickly, even if bite marks are not immediately visible.
Doctors have not disclosed the age or gender of the child. Still, they emphasized that according to the World Health Organization, rabies is a disease that can cause severe damage to the brain and spinal cord, almost always leading to death once symptoms appear.
According to Health Canada, the Canadian government's health department, human rabies cases in the country are rare. Since reporting began in 1924, 28 rabies cases have been recorded in six provinces, all of which were fatal.
