Health officials have confirmed a human case of rabies in Ontario – the first in nearly 60 years.
According to Brant County Health Unit, which confirmed the case, the individual is believed to have come into contact with a bat.
Medical Officer of Health in Brant County, Dr. Rebecca Comley, offered her ‘heartfelt thoughts’ to the patient and their loved ones during this ‘incredibly difficult time’.
While rabies is rare, it can cause serious disease in humans. For this reason, anyone who have come into contact with a potential rabid animal should seek immediate medical attention.
In addition to bats, the rabies virus can also be carried by skunks, raccoons, and foxes. It is typically transmitted to humans via direct contact with mucus or saliva from an animal with rabies. Transmission of the virus from one human to another has never been documented.
Once the virus enters the body, it will cause inflammation of the spinal cord and brain.
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, emphasized that the rabies virus is ‘extremely rare’ and that it is almost never seen in humans due to ‘effective prevention measures’.
Since 1924, there have only been 26 documented cases of rabies in human across Canada, four of which were reported after 2009, according to Health Canada. The most recent case was documented in 2019 in British Columbia.
For those who come into contact withe the rabies virus, immediate medical care is crucial. This involves washing the skin with soapy water and getting the rabies vaccine, the latter of which must be administered as soon as possible for maximum effectiveness.
When administered immediately, the rabies immune globulin is almost 100 percent effective.
Even if you’re not completely sure whether or not you’ve been bitten by the animal, seek medical attention. For example, if you wake up and find a bat in your room, it’s best to assume you’ve been bitten as not all bites will be obvious and visible.
Due to privacy concerns, the Canadian government will not be disclosing any additional information regarding the individual with rabies who has been hospitalized.
Symptoms of Rabies
The initial symptoms of rabies tend to be very similar to those of the flu. This includes fever, nausea, headache, and vomiting. As the infection progresses, an individual may also develop confusion, agitation, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, and hallucinations.
Eventually, an individual will also develop hydrophobia – or the fear of water, where they will panic when presented with fluids to drink due to difficulty swallowing.
Protecting Yourself From Rabies
Seeing as how the virus transmits from animal to humans, the best way to protect yourself is by not approaching wild animals. Remember, rabid animals may seen unafraid of people.
If you plan on travelling to areas where rabies is more common, consider getting the rabies vaccine ahead of time as medical care may be difficult to get in remote areas.
And for those with pets, be sure to supervise them when outside as you don’t want them to come into contact with wild animals.
