A seven-year-old boy in British Columbia, Canada, has died from rabies after a bat landed on his face while he was sleeping. The case is the first domestically acquired rabies infection in the province in over a century.
Incident Details
The boy, from the Fraser Health region, was taken to hospital in late June 2026 with symptoms including headache, fever, and confusion. Despite intensive care, he died within days. Health officials confirmed that the rabies virus was transmitted via the bat, which had entered the family home through an open window. The boy's parents did not notice any bites or scratches at the time.
Medical Response and Warnings
Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia's provincial health officer, stated: "This is a tragic reminder that rabies is a deadly disease, but it is also preventable. Anyone who has direct contact with a bat should seek immediate medical attention." Post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of rabies shots, is highly effective if given before symptoms appear. However, once symptoms develop, the disease is almost always fatal.
Health officials are urging the public to avoid handling bats and to ensure homes are bat-proofed by sealing gaps and repairing screens. They also recommend that pet owners keep their animals' rabies vaccinations up to date.
Public Health Context
Rabies in humans is extremely rare in Canada, with only a handful of cases reported in the last 20 years, all linked to exposures abroad. The last domestically acquired case in British Columbia was recorded in 1924. The virus is present in bat populations across the province, with about 1% of bats carrying rabies.
