Canadian boy dies of rabies after seemingly harmless contact with bat

A rare fatal case of rabies in Canada has raised serious concerns about the potential dangers of seemingly harmless contact of humans with bats. A report published in Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday detailed an incident where an 11-year-old boy died of rabies after waking up to a bat on his nose.

According to the report, the unnamed boy was visiting a cottage in Ontario with his family in 2024 when he came in contact with a bat that didn’t appear to have bitten him. The bat was captured and released back into the wild and the family did not seek immediate medical attention as there were no visible injuries on the boy's face.

However, the boy started having numbness and swelling on his face after 19 days. He was taken to emergency medical care as doctors tried to diagnose his symptoms.

The journal chronicles that at first, he was prescribed medication for herpes gingivostomatitis, a viral infection of the mouth; however, he returned to the hospital the same day as the right side of his face went weak.

The boy developed 102F fever, along with other symptoms. Doctors at the University of Manitoba, Canada's Department of Pediatrics and Child Health said they strongly suspected rabies. The test also confirmed the case but it was too late for the boy as he died 17 days after being admitted to the hospital.

The report urged authorities to continue the ongoing nationwide vaccination programs against rabies to stop the return of the disease while also highlighting its fatal nature. The report stated that once symptoms of rabies develop, the infection is almost always fatal.

Authorities advise seeking immediate medical attention after any direct contact with a bat, as rabies exposure can occur even when no obvious bite or scratch is visible.