Over the weekend, Southwestern Public Health advised a bat found in St. Thomas has tested positive for rabies.
The health unit assures there have been no known exposures.
SWPH notes, “Rabies is a viral disease that is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. It affects an animal’s brain and eventually leads to death.
Although the risk of rabies is extremely low, humans exposed to the virus – usually through a bite or scratch from an infected animal – require treatment to avoid death.”
This positive test result serves as a reminder that rabies is present in the area and residents need to be aware of what to do if bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal.
Protect against rabies
- Vaccinate your pet against the rabies virus.
- Make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date.
- Keep pets indoors at night.
- Touch base with your vet if you see any potential wounds on your pet from a fight with wild animals.
- Teach children to stay away from wild animals and strange dogs and cats.
- Always ask permission before trying to pet an animal.
- Supervise children around animals.
- Do not attempt to touch or feed wild animals.
- Do not touch sick animals.
- Do not approach animals behaving oddly or aggressively, and
- Be familiar with the signs of rabies in your pets and wild animals.
Community members are also reminded to never handle a bat directly. If you have a bat in your home or have questions about getting rid of a bat in a dwelling, please contact a local wildlife rescue.
To learn more about rabies visit www.swpublichealth.ca/rabies.
