Ontario's first domestic case of human rabies since 1967 confirmed in Brant County
CTV
A Brant County resident is in hospital after they tested positive for rabies.
A Brant County resident is in hospital after they tested positive for rabies.
In a release on Friday, the Brant County Health Unit said they believe the resident was exposed to the illness while in the Gowganda area of the Timiskaming region.
Rabies is a viral infection that causes brain and spinal cord inflammation. It usually spreads to humans through the saliva or mucous of an infected animal, such as a bat, skunk, fox or raccoon. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Once the virus infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100 per cent of cases.”
Until now, there has never been a confirmed case of rabies in a Brant County resident.
According to Public Health Ontario, the province's last confirmed case of domestic human rabies was recorded in 1967.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Rabies, though rare, is a serious virus in humans. If you have direct contact with any animal known to carry rabies, you should seek immediate medical attention,” Dr. Rebecca Comley, the county’s medical officer of health, said via a release.
The WHO says the incubation period for rabies is typically two to three months, but can vary based on viral load. Initial symptoms can include fever, pain, unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking or burning sensations at the wound site. Once the virus begins to move to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
