Bat tests positive for rabies in Mississauga: health unit

The brown bat is one of several species found in Ontario. A little brown bat is shown in this undated stock photo. (Ivan Kuzmin /Getty Images)

A bat has tested positive for rabies in Mississauga, Peel Public Health says.

In a news release issued on Monday, the health unit said the rabid bat was located in the area of Derry and McLaughlin roads.

Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals, including humans, pets, and wild animals. It spreads through the saliva of infected animals, primarily through bites, scratches, or when saliva contacts mucous membranes like the eyes, nose or mouth.

To avoid being exposed to this serious illness, public health is urging people to avoid touching, approaching, or feeding unknown or wild animals, even if they look healthy; ensure pets and livestock are up to date with their rabies vaccinations; call Animal Services at 311 if you find a bat in your home and don’t attempt to remove the bat yourself; and stay away from animals that are acting strangely, are injured, or are sick.

Anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a wild or unknown animal should speak to a healthcare provider as soon as possible, as rabies is “preventable through prompt medical care,” the health unit said.

“While the risk of running into an infected animal and contracting rabies is quite low in Ontario, symptomatic rabies infections in humans are almost always fatal,” Peel Public Health said.

“Prompt medical care with rabies vaccination and antibodies injection can prevent rabies if they are given before symptoms appear.”

More information on preventing rabies can be found online.

Officials warn of ‘spike’ in bat-related exposures northeast of Toronto

This news comes as officials northeast of Toronto issue a public health warning following a “noticeable spike” in bat-related exposures this summer.

In a news release, Haliburton Kawartha Northumberland Peterborough Public Health urged residents to avoid handling bats amid the increase, due to the possible exposure to rabies.

“Attempting to capture a bat indoors can increase your chances of being bitten or scratched, which raises the risk of being exposed to the rabies virus,” it said.

Health officials in this region are urging anyone who locates a bat indoors, even if there was no direct contact, to not attempt to capture it.

Instead, they say residents should attempt to confine it to a room, turn the lights off, open a window and allow it to fly out on its own. If the bat does not leave, officials advise people to contact a pest control professional.