Grand Erie Public Health is reminding residents to avoid contact with wild animals after a bat in the Haldimand-Norfolk region tested positive for rabies.
Public health officials say individuals who were exposed to the bat are receiving treatment through Haldimand War Memorial Hospital in Dunnville. While the risk of rabies exposure remains low, health officials say the case serves as an important reminder that bats and other wildlife can carry the potentially fatal virus.
Rabies is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, typically through a bite, scratch, or contact with broken skin or mucous membranes. Public health officials stress that if there is no direct contact with a bat, there is no risk of rabies exposure.
Dr. Jason Malenfant, Medical Officer of Health for Grand Erie Public Health, said the positive test result is concerning but not unexpected. He is urging residents to avoid handling bats or other wild animals and to seek medical attention immediately if they believe they may have had direct contact with a potentially rabid animal.
Residents are also encouraged to keep pets and livestock up to date on their rabies vaccinations and to take steps to wildlife-proof their homes and properties. Bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons are among the animals most commonly associated with rabies in Canada.
Public health officials note that rabies can be prevented in humans through post-exposure treatment, but it must be administered before symptoms develop.
Anyone who is bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal should immediately wash the area with soap and water, seek medical attention, and report the incident to Grand Erie Public Health.
