Doctors warn after Ontario boy died of rabies from bat exposure

Doctors in Canada are urging the public to seek medical care after any contact with a bat, following the death of an 11yearold boy from rabies linked to bat exposure in northern Ontario. The case, described in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, involved a child who had contact with a bat at a cottage in the summer of 2024. His family did not notice a bite or scratch, and he did not receive treatment at the time. Weeks later, he developed neurological symptoms and later died after his condition worsened. Physicians say rabies remains rare in humans in Canada, but it is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. They note that prompt postexposure treatment with vaccine and immunoglobulin can prevent infection if given before symptoms appear, and they recommend that anyone who has bat contact speak with a healthcare provider right away.