Boy Wakes Up With a Bat on His Face; Weeks Later, Doctors Confirm a Tragic Outcome

Tragedy: Child died of rabies after contact with a bat.

No visible bites or scratches were found.

Doctors issue an important warning.

An 11-year-old boy died of rabies in Canada after direct contact with a bat, even though he never showed any visible bite or scratch marks.

The case was documented in a report published on June 29 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, whose authors warn that this type of exposure should never be underestimated.

According to the report, the boy was staying with his family at a cabin in northern Ontario during the summer of 2024.

When he woke up one morning, he found a bat resting on his nose and mouth.

How the Contact with the Bat Turned Fatal

11-year-old boy dies of rabies after waking up with a bat on his mouth. https://t.co/to1atu9DqB#canadá

— Tele Saltillo (@TeleSaltillo) July 2, 2026

The child instinctively brushed the bat away with his hand.

His father captured the animal and later released it outside.

Because the boy had no visible injuries and appeared healthy, the family chose not to seek medical attention.

That decision had tragic consequences just weeks later.

About 19 days later, the boy began experiencing facial numbness and persistent vomiting.

His condition rapidly worsened over the following days.

According to the report, this became the first locally acquired human rabies case in Ontario, Canada since 1967.

Early Symptoms Led to a Different Diagnosis

A child had direct contact with a bat and developed rabies days later. Even without visible wounds, direct bat exposure requires immediate medical evaluation to determine whether post-exposure treatment is needed. https://t.co/ALPyjZ0OIX#Rabia… pic.twitter.com/ZTQFqe7y7i

— sumedico.com (@sumedico) July 2, 2026

The report explains that the first symptoms included progressive numbness and tingling on the right side of his face.

He later developed loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting.

Initially, he was treated at an urgent care clinic.

Doctors suspected Bell’s palsy caused by the herpes simplex virus and treated him accordingly.

As his symptoms worsened, he was transferred to a hospital emergency department.

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He later developed fever, confusion, and hallucinations, according to USA Today.

It was then that doctors learned about his direct contact with the bat weeks earlier.

That information dramatically changed the clinical investigation.

A saliva test confirmed infection with a bat-associated rabies virus variant.

Despite intensive treatment and specialized medical care, his neurological condition continued to deteriorate.

The boy died 17 days after being admitted to the hospital, a terrible tragedy caused by bat rabies.

Doctors Urge Immediate Medical Evaluation After Any Bat Exposure

The study’s authors say this case demonstrates why people should seek immediate medical attention after any direct contact with a bat.

That recommendation applies even when there are no visible bite or scratch marks.

The report notes that rabies can initially resemble other illnesses because of the way its early symptoms develop.

For that reason, a history of bat rabies exposure is critical in helping doctors reach the correct diagnosis.

The specialists also emphasize that once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.

However, they point out one crucial difference: when exposure is treated promptly, infection can often be prevented.

According to the report, receiving post-exposure prophylaxis soon after contact with the virus can stop the disease from developing.

For that reason, the authors conclude that any direct contact with a bat should be evaluated immediately by a healthcare professional, without waiting for symptoms to appear or relying solely on the absence of visible injuries.