Canadian boy dies of rabies months after bat landed on his face
An 11-year-old Canadian boy has died from rabies after being exposed to a bat while staying with his family at a cottage in Ontario, highlighting the deadly consequences of untreated rabies exposure.
According to a case report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the incident occurred in 2024 when the boy woke to find a bat covering his nose and mouth. His father removed the animal and released it outdoors, while the family did not seek medical attention because the child had no visible bite marks and the bat did not appear to be behaving unusually.
Nineteen days later, the boy developed facial numbness and swelling before his condition rapidly deteriorated. Doctors initially misdiagnosed his symptoms as Bell’s palsy and later a herpes-related infection. He eventually developed a high fever, difficulty swallowing, confusion and hallucinations before being admitted to intensive care, where he later died. Medical experts say the case underscores the importance of seeking immediate rabies treatment after any direct contact with bats, even in the absence of visible injuries.
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