Ontario has reported its first human case of rabies in over 60 years.
The case is isolated to a resident of Brantford-Brant, a rural municipality about one hour southwest of Toronto, the Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) confirmed on Friday in a news release. The resident is currently hospitalized, and family members and other close contacts of the individual are being assessed and offered post-exposure prophylaxis, as needed.
The suspected exposure of the case was from a bat in the Gowganda area of the Timiskaming region, BCHU added.
This is the first locally-acquired case of human rabies recorded in Ontario since 1967, according to Public Health Ontario. There have been 26 human cases in total throughout Canada since 1924.
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“Our heartfelt thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” BCHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rebecca Comley said in the news release.
Rabies, though 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.
Rabies is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, which is almost always fatal, the agency explained. The disease is typically transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected animal, and even tiny bites or scratches, which can be difficult to see, can transmit the virus. Bats, skunks, foxes and raccoons are the most common animals to have rabies in Canada; however, human rabies cases are very rare.
To date, there has never been a documented case of human-to-human transmission of rabies virus, BCHU said.
Following direct contact with a bat or exposure to a potentially rabid animal, individuals should thoroughly clean and flush wounds with soap and water and seek medical attention to assess the need for post exposure treatment, Public Health Ontario urged.
BCHU listed several routine precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to the rabies virus, including to keep pets and livestock rabies vaccinations up to date, keep pets away from wildlife, supervise children when they are around animals and to feed pets indoors in order to not attract unwanted outdoor animals.
