An 11-year-old boy in Canada dies of rabies after an overnight incident in which a bat landed or was found on his face while he slept. Multiple reports say the bat lay across his nose and mouth, and the boy brushed or swatted it away. His father later caught the bat and released it outdoors. The family did not seek medical care at the time because the boy appeared uninjured and there were no obvious bite or scratch marks.
According to accounts cited by several outlets, symptoms began weeks later—reported as about 19 days in one summary—after which he was taken to an emergency department and received hospital care. Medical sources described supportive treatment, but his condition continued to deteriorate. By the time rabies was recognized, the infection had progressed to the nervous system, and he ultimately died.
Doctors and public health authorities cited in the coverage stress that rabies exposure from bats can be “hidden,” as bat teeth are small and injuries may leave little or no visible sign. They call for immediate medical advice or evaluation after direct physical contact with a bat, even when no bite marks are seen, because post-exposure preventive treatment can work if given before symptoms begin.
