Latest news with #rabies
CTV News
9 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Toronto Public Health seeking person who came in contact with bat that may have rabies
FILE -Toronto Public Health's offices at Dundas and Victoria St. in Toronto on Monday, August 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Toronto Public Health (TPH) is looking for a person who came in contact with a bat that may have rabies earlier this week. TPH says it has learned about an injured bat exhibiting symptoms of rabies and that the animal was physically handled at the north entrance to 88-100 Harbour St. on Wednesday around 9:24 p.m. 'Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of mammals including humans. Rabies can lead to death if it is left untreated before symptoms appear,' TPH says. The virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. The person is believed to be standing at five-foot-eight with a beard and was seen wearing eyeglasses, a black T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers. TPH says the person was also holding a black water bottle. The local health unit is urging the person to immediately call 416-338-7600 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday or 311 after hours. TPH says the person should ask to speak to the healthy environments manager on call.
CTV News
14 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Person exposed to rabid bat in Brant County
A bat is seen mid-flight in this generic image from Getty. (Source: Getty Images) A person has come into contact with a rabid bat in Brant County. In a news release on Friday, the Grand Erie Public Health Unit said the bat was found in Brantford-Brant and tested positive for the rabies virus. Someone who was exposed to the animal is now receiving post exposed rabies prophylaxis, including rabies immune globulin and a series of vaccines. Rabies can be contracted through bites or scratches from an infected animal, such as a fox, raccoon, skunk or bat. It is spread through saliva and mucous. The rabies illness can be prevented in human if they seek immediate medical treatment. Interventions must be administered before symptoms begin. It can take days or even months for symptoms to appear. However, once symptoms begin to show, an infected person will usually die within seven to 14 days. Rabies symptoms include fever, tiredness, headaches, anxiety or irritability, tingling and numbness. Eventually, an infected person's brain will begin to swell, and they may become confused and experience seizures and hallucinations. They may also become afraid of water and fresh air or drafts. Last year, a child died after they came into contact with a rabid bat. The Brant County Health Unit, which is now a part of the Grand Erie Public Health Unit, confirmed the infection in early September. According to Public Health Ontario, it was the first case of domestic human rabies recorded since 1967. They believe the infection stemmed from a bat the child encountered in the Timiskaming Region.
News24
4 days ago
- Health
- News24
KZN man dies from rabies two months after bite from his dog
A 32-year-old man from eZimbokodweni in KwaZulu-Natal succumbed to rabies two months after being bitten by his unvaccinated dog. The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality revealed he delayed seeking medical attention, which allowed the virus to spread. Vaccination campaigns and public education efforts are being ramped up in the City to eliminate rabies in high-risk areas by 2030. A 32-year-old man from eZimbokodweni in KwaZulu-Natal died after contracting rabies following a bite from his unvaccinated dog. According to the eThekwini metro, the man was bitten in March but did not immediately seek medical attention. The dog, later exhibiting signs of rabies such as unusual aggression and behavioural changes, was investigated by the City's communicable diseases team. 'Upon investigation, it was revealed that the man was bitten in March but only sought medical attention two months later, by which time the virus had already spread through his body. Sadly, he passed away on 30 May,' the municipality said. KwaZulu-Natal is one of three provinces with the highest number of reported human rabies cases, alongside the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Last year, a 3-year-old child died after coming into contact with a suspected rabid dog in the Ngonyameni area. In a collaborative approach to combat the virus, the eThekwini metro has adopted the 'One Health approach', which involves the collaboration of multiple sectors to eliminate human rabies by 2030. The City's director of health, Rosemary van Heerden, said: 'We have already convened two stakeholder meetings with various departments who pledged to support the campaign. As a result, we successfully vaccinated 385 domestic animals – 372 dogs and 13 cats – during a three-day campaign in the eZimbokodweni area this month.' She said the City's communicable diseases directorate was working closely with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to expand vaccination efforts and public education campaigns in high-risk areas. What is rabies? Rabies is a deadly but preventable viral zoonotic disease transmitted through the saliva of infected mammals, including dogs, cats, mongooses, goats and cattle. The World Health Organisation has identified it as one of the most neglected zoonotic diseases disproportionately affecting impoverished communities in under-resourced areas. The NICD warned that once symptoms appear in humans, rabies is almost always fatal. However, timely vaccination can prevent infection. Symptoms Symptoms of rabies may include headaches, fever, confusion and muscle pain. Any contact with a potentially infected animal – through bites, scratches or licks – requires immediate first aid followed by medical evaluation for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP is available free of charge in the public sector and at a cost in the private sector. If exposed, wounds or scratches must be washed immediately with soap or detergent and thoroughly rinsed under running water for at least 15 minutes. The NICD stressed the importance of reporting suspected rabid animals to veterinary services or animal health technicians. 'Do not attempt to capture or approach the animal,' the NICD warned.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Extremely rare virus that causes RABIES found in bat in UK garden after mum died from disease caught petting dog abroad
THE virus that causes rabies has been found in a bat in a back garden in Britain. The rodent was found in Shorwell on the Isle of Wight and tested tested positive for European Bat Lyssavirus-1 (EBLV-1), an extremely rare virus known to cause the deadly disease in humans. 7 7 7 It comes just days after a grandmother tragically died from rabies following a scratch from a stray puppy while on holiday in Morocco. Meanwhile, the resident who discovered the injured bat used gloves to place it in a shoe box and kept it safely overnight before calling the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital. The animal was collected by volunteers the following day, and Government officials later confirmed it had tested positive for EBLV-1. The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the bat was humanely put down to prevent any risk of transmission. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) investigated the incident but found no evidence of bites or scratches to humans or other animals. Although EBLV-1 can cause rabies, it is different from the rabies virus most commonly associated with dogs, which causes the majority of cases worldwide. Both EBLV-1 and a similar strain, EBLV-2, are extremely rare and have only been found in a small number of bats in the UK. Experts say the discovery does not change the UK's rabies-free health status, and other mammals are not considered to be at risk. It comes after Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, died after unknowingly contracting rabies while abroad earlier this month. She was scratched by a puppy during a trip to Morocco in February but did not believe it was serious at the time. Video of mum dancing on holiday before she died Two weeks before her death, she fell ill with a headache which quickly progressed. Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, revealed that Yvonne lost her ability to walk, talk, sleep, and swallow before she died. Speaking out to raise awareness, Robyn said: 'Our family is still processing this unimaginable loss, but we are choosing to speak up in the hope of preventing this from happening to others.' She added: 'She was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February. "At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn't think much of it.' The Bat Conservation Trust explained that the two known strains of lyssavirus found in British bats have only been recorded in 59 of more than 19,000 bats tested since 1986. Only two species—the serotine and Daubenton's bat—have tested positive. EBLV-1 has been detected in serotine bats since 2018, with the first case confirmed in Dorset. Rabies is passed through bites and scratches, or if infected saliva enters a person's eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound. Symptoms may take weeks or months to appear, but once they do, the disease is almost always fatal. Signs include confusion, hallucinations, paralysis, difficulty swallowing, breathing problems, and numbness around the affected area. Alex Morss, from the Bat Conservation Trust, urged anyone who has been licked, scratched, or bitten by a bat to call the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228 and seek immediate medical advice. He said: 'There is no risk to human health if you do not handle British bats, even if they are roosting in buildings you use. "No action should be taken to disturb or harm any wild bats or their roosts.' Bats in the UK are protected by law and should only be handled by trained and licensed individuals. If a bat is injured or in need of rescue, gloves and a face covering should always be worn. The NHS offers a rabies vaccine, which is 100 per cent effective if given promptly after exposure. In some cases, a treatment called immunoglobulin may be administered directly into the wound. Dr Katherine Russell from the UK Health Security Agency said: 'If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found, wash the wound with soap and water immediately and seek medical help without delay.' She added: 'There is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case. "Human cases of rabies are extremely rare in the UK, and worldwide there are no documented instances of direct human-to-human transmission.' Yvonne's family have since shared tributes and videos of her dancing with her grandchildren just weeks before her sudden decline. They hope her story will raise awareness and remind holidaymakers to take animal bites or scratches seriously, especially in countries where rabies is a known threat. What rabies does to the body and how it's treated The infection is common worldwide but is predominantly found in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Some of the animals that are most likely to spread the disease are dogs, bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons. Symptoms After a bite or other rabies exposure, the virus can take weeks or months to start causing symptoms. This timeframe is what doctors call the incubation period in which the virus is travelling through the body and to the brain. Some of the most common symptoms of rabies include: Fever Headache Excess salivation Muscle spasms paralysis mental confusion The World Health Organization describes two main manifestations of the disease: furious rabies and paralytic rabies. People or animals with furious rabies may appear agitated, become aggressive, and drool excessively, while other symptoms include hyperactivity, fear of water, and even fear of fresh air. The symptoms of paralytic rabies, on the other hand, are more understated—typically causing gradual paralysis as a patient remains calm and lucid. Treatment If you've been bitten or scratched by an animal in an area with a risk of rabies you should immediately clean the wound with running water and soap for several minutes. After this, you must disinfect the wound with an alcohol- or iodine-based disinfectant and apply a simple dressing. After the wound is addressed, you should see a doctor as soon as possible and they will determine if you need a rabies vaccination or not. Post-exposure treatment is nearly 100 per cent effective if it's started before any symptoms of rabies appear. Some cases will require immunoglobulin, which is administered into and around the wound. This provides short-term protection if there is a significant chance of infection in the wound. Treatment should ideally begin within a few hours of being bitten, but can be delayed up to 24 hours if needed 7 7 7 7
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Rare virus discovered in bat on Isle of Wight
An injured bat rescued from a garden in Shorwell, Isle of Wight, tested positive for the extremely rare European Bat Lyssavirus-1 (EBLV-1). EBLV-1 is a rabies -like virus, distinct from the common dog rabies, and is found in only a very small number of bats, not affecting the UK's rabies-free status. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency investigated the incident and found no evidence of human or animal exposure to the infected bat. The Bat Conservation Trust advises anyone bitten, scratched, or licked by a bat to seek immediate medical attention and contact the National Bat Helpline, as rabies can be fatal if untreated. All British bats are legally protected, and the public is advised not to handle them. If rescue is necessary, thick gloves and a face covering should be worn.
