A resident of Brantford-Brant is in hospital with rabies, the Brant County Health Unit announced Friday.
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The health unit, in a statement, said the exposure to the virus came from a bat in the Gowganda area of Timiskaming. However, bats in all areas of Ontario are known to carry rabies.
It is the first-ever confirmed case of rabies in a Brantford-Brant resident.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Dr. Rebecca Comley, Brant County’s medical officer of health, said in the statement. “Rabies, although rare, is a serious virus in humans.
“If you have direct contact with any animal known to carry rabies, you should seek immediate medical attention.”
Ontario’s last domestic case of human rabies occurred in 1967. There have been 26 human cases in Canada since 1924, said the health unit.
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“To ensure privacy for the family, no further information about the individual will be released,” Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said in a statement late Friday afternoon.
A viral infection that causes brain and spinal cord inflammation, rabies is typically spread to humans through direct contact with saliva or mucous – a bit or a scratch- of an infected animal.
Rabies are typically found in bats, skunks, foxes and raccoons.
Even tiny bites or scratches, which can be difficult to see, can transmit the virus.
To date, there has never been a documented case of human-to-human transmission of rabies viruses. As a precaution, family members and other close contacts are being assessed and offered post-exposure prophylaxis, as needed.
Ways to reduce exposure to rabies include: keeping pets and livestock rabies vaccinations up to date. It’s the law; stay away from and do not touch unfamiliar animals; keep pets away from wildlife; supervises children when they are around animals; don’t let pets roam free and feed pets indoors.
If you have direct contact with a bat and or if any animal known to carry rabies bites or scratches you, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention right away.
For more information visit www.ontario.ca/rabies.
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