Vancouver Island vet clinics warn public after bat tests positive for rabies
Local veterinary hospitals are warning the public that a bat found in Campbell River's Willow Point area on July 24 tested positive for rabies. The cautionary advisory comes as health officials confirm the case and urge residents to take preventive measures.
The warning originated from a social media post made Wednesday by Coastline Veterinary Hospital, which said it was notified by public health officials. Raintree Veterinary Hospital in the Comox Valley also posted on social media on Wednesday that "a case of rabies has been confirmed in a bat in our area."
Elsewhere, media reports indicated that a bat was brought in by health officials for testing in mid-July in Whistler, with results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency coming back positive for the disease.
Public health guidance
Rabies is uncommon in British Columbia, and public health experts closely monitor trends across the province. Finding a single rabies-positive bat does not indicate an unusual event, as bats are a natural part of the local ecosystem and a small number may carry the virus.
There are currently no known rabies cases in humans in B.C. The last human case was in 2019.
The best protection is prevention, according to the clinics. They advise the public not to handle bats, to keep pets' rabies vaccinations up to date, and to seek medical advice if they think a person may have had contact with a bat.
The BCCDC advises that if you have been bitten or scratched by an animal that you think may have rabies, or if you have had contact with a bat, you should immediately wash the wound well with soap and water under moderate pressure (e.g., a running tap) for at least 15 minutes, then flush thoroughly with water. This lessens the chance of any infection. You should then seek medical attention from a healthcare provider or local public health unit immediately.
If rabies immunization is received in time, rabies in humans can be prevented. However, if you wait until symptoms start to appear, it is usually too late to begin effective treatment. Anyone who comes into direct contact with a bat should contact their healthcare provider or Island Health's North Island Communicable Disease Hub at 250-331-8555.