Canadian boy dies of rabies after waking to find bat on his face

Family of 11-year-old did not suspect rabies, which doctors say is ‘exceedingly rare’ in Canada

Doctors in Canada say a child who awoke to find a bat resting on his nose and mouth while visiting an Ontario cottage eventually died of rabies, in an “exceedingly rare case” that highlights the need for better public awareness.

In a report published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, infectious disease physicians confirmed that the 11-year-old boy died from rabies, a fatality that they said probably could have been prevented with greater awareness of how the virus is transmitted.

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