Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) has confirmed the first human case of rabies in Canada since 1967.
The health unit says a resident from Brant region has been hospitalized with the virus, after being exposed to a bat in the Gowganda area of the Temiskaming region.
BCHU detailed that there has never been a human case of rabies on record for the region, and only 26 in Canada since 1924.
Rabies is a viral infection that causes brain and spinal cord inflammation, and the health unit states, “Although rare, it is very serious in humans.”
Bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons are the most common carriers of the virus in Canada. Recently, Six Nations Wildlife confirmed that all eight types of bat species in Ontario have been found within the community.
BCHU says residents should take precautions to keep themselves and pets safe, and if contact with an animal known to carry rabies occurs to seek medical attention immediately.
