An 11-year-old boy has died from rabies in Ontario, Canada, following a silent encounter with a bat. The incident occurred in 2024 while the child was vacationing with his parents at a cottage in northern Ontario.
According to a medical case report, the bat landed on the boy’s nose and mouth while he slept. His father captured the animal in a cooking pot and released it outside.
Because the child displayed no visible bite or scratch marks and the bat did not appear aggressive, the parents opted against seeking immediate medical assessment.
The first symptoms did not manifest until 19 days later. Rabies is almost uniformly fatal once clinical signs appear.