In a statement, the Brant County Health Unit said the person is believed to have been exposed to the disease while in the Gowganda area of the Timiskaming region.
Rabies is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It is usually transmitted to humans through the saliva or mucous membranes 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 percent of cases.”
According to Public Health Ontario, the last confirmed case of domestic human rabies in the province was recorded in 1967.
Nationwide, there have been only 26 known cases of the disease in humans since reports began in 1924.
“Our deepest thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones during this difficult time,” said Dr. Rebecca Comley, the county’s medical health director, in a statement.
“Rabies, although 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,” he added.
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Kieran Moore, also issued a statement saying that “the illness is suspected to have been acquired through direct contact with a bat in Ontario.”
The WHO says the incubation period for rabies is usually two to three months, but can vary depending on the viral load.
Initial symptoms may include fever, pain, unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking or burning sensation at the wound site. Once the virus begins to move into the central nervous system, a progressive and life-threatening inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
rgh/adr
