In a statement, the Brant County Health Unit said the person was believed to have been exposed to the illness while in the Gowganda area of ​​Timiskaming.

Rabies is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It is usually transmitted to humans through the saliva or mucous membranes of an infected animal, such as a bat, skunk, fox or raccoon.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO): “Once the virus infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases. »

According to Public Health Ontario, the last confirmed case of domestic human rabies in the province was recorded in 1967.

Nationally, only 26 cases of the disease in humans have been known since it began being reported in 1924.

“Our heartfelt thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones during this difficult time,” Dr. Rebecca Comley, county health medical director, said in a statement.

“Rabies, although rare, is a serious virus in humans. “If you have direct contact with an animal known to carry rabies, you should seek medical attention immediately,” he added.

Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Kieran Moore, also released a statement saying “the disease is suspected to have been acquired through direct contact with a bat in Ontario.”

The WHO says the incubation period for rabies is usually two to three months, but can vary depending on viral load.

Early symptoms may include fever, pain, unusual or unexplained tingling, tingling, or burning sensation at the wound site. Once the virus begins to enter the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.

rgh/adr