What to do if a bat is in your house: Health officials give tips after dozens of potential rabies exposures in B.C.
Dozens of people needed treatment for possible exposure to rabies from bats last year in one region of British Columbia alone, health officials say.
A B.C. health authority issued a public service announcement Tuesday warning of the consequences of encounters with bats, which carry multiple diseases that can be transmitted to humans.
Among them is rabies.
According to the Interior Health Authority, between four and eight per cent of bats that come into contact with people in B.C. are then found to be carriers of the rabies virus.
Treatment for humans, including 132 in 2021 just in the Interior Health area, includes a two-week period of vaccinations which should begin as soon as possible after exposure.
Without treatment, rabies can be fatal.
In 2019, a Vancouver Island man was the first person to die of rabies infection in B.C. in 16 years. The 23-year-old's only contact with the bat was that he'd swatted it and got a scratch.
By the time he was taken to hospital, he already had symptoms, and it was too late to save his life.
Experts say rabies in bats is extremely rare, but still, those who come in contact with them should avoid touching them with their bare hands.
This is to prevent bites and scratches, Interior Health said Tuesday, and is especially important with children who may try to play with a bat they find on the ground.
HOW TO AVOID CONTACT WITH BATS
Interior Health included in its PSA precautions to take to prevent contact with bats. Among the health officials' tips are to talk to children about not touching wild animals, and to make sure window screens have no holes and attic vents are properly screened.
In the event that a live bat makes it inside a home, the residents should open a window and close interior doors until the bat flies out. If there are multiple bats, or the bats won't leave, residents should seek professional help.
Pets should be vaccinated against rabies, and locations like caves, where bats are likely to be found, should be avoided.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says dogs are responsible for most cases worldwide, but in B.C., bats are the only known source.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN OR SCRATCHED
If contact has already been made, and a person suspects they've been bitten or scratched, they should thoroughly wash the area and then contact their doctor or local public health area, or go to an emergency room.
If it's possible, the bat should be contained to keep it from exposing other people and so it can be tested for rabies.
SYMPTOMS OF RABIES
According to the BCCDC, rabies symptoms often don't appear in humans for three to eight weeks after they've been exposed, but it might take years before a person knows they've been infected.
Vaccinations need to be administered before these symptoms appear, or "death is almost certain," the centre says in a post on its website.
Symptoms include fever, headache and "strange behaviour," the CDC said.
"Rabies is also known as hydrophobia, because one of the symptoms is paralysis of the throat muscles leading to a fear of water."
When the symptoms first appear, an infected person may have difficulty swallowing, or experience excessive drooling, muscle spasms and weakness.
In animals, behaviour includes showing aggression or appearing sick and lethargic.
In bats specifically, symptoms include weakness, loss of ability to fly and appearances in the daytime.
"If a bat is hanging off the ground, it should be considered suspicious."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.