CANADIAN BOY DIES OF RABIES AFTER BAT LANDS ON HIS FACE DURING SLEEP.(PHOTO).

 Canadian boy dies of rabies after bat lands on his face during sleep

  

 An 11-year-old Canadian boy died from rabies after a bat landed on his face while he slept during a 2024 family trip to a cottage in northern Ontario, according to a medical case report.

Doctors say the boy awoke when the bat made contact with his nose and mouth. His father removed the animal and released it outdoors. Because there were no obvious bite marks or signs of injury, the family did not seek immediate medical care.

About a week later, the child began developing numbness and tingling on the right side of his face, followed by facial swelling and loss of appetite. He was first evaluated at an urgent care clinic, where he was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy and prescribed antiviral medication, but his symptoms continued to worsen.

He was later taken to an emergency department, where doctors noted sensory loss on one side of his face, gum ulcers, and abnormal lab results. Given the reported bat exposure, clinicians alerted public health officials to consider rabies prevention, though the boy was discharged with a presumed viral infection diagnosis.

The following day, he returned with worsening neurological symptoms including facial weakness and slurred speech. He was admitted to the hospital as his condition rapidly deteriorated, developing fever, confusion, hallucinations, and difficulty swallowing. He was placed on a ventilator and transferred to intensive care.

Doctors ultimately suspected rabies due to the bat exposure and neurological decline. Testing confirmed the diagnosis several days after admission.

Medical teams considered experimental treatments, including advanced antibody therapy and gene-based approaches, but they were not pursued due to limited availability, uncertain effectiveness, and the speed of his decline. His family also chose not to proceed with invasive treatment options.

His condition continued to worsen with severe neurological and respiratory complications. He lost brainstem reflexes, and life support was withdrawn 17 days after hospitalization. He died with his family at his bedside.

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Health officials note that even minor or unnoticed contact with bats should be treated as a potential exposure, since bites can be too small to see. Preventive treatment is highly effective if given before symptoms develop, but there is no proven cure after the virus reaches the brain.