An injured bat on the floating dock at White Pine Beach in Belcarra Regional Park Saturday night has sparked a public health alert.
Fraser Health is warning anyone who came in direct contact with the bat at around 7:45 p.m. to seek immediate medical assistance to be assessed for possible exposure to rabies.
In a statement, the health authority said it had been advised nine people may have been in contact with the bat.
“While the prevalence of rabies among bats is low — less than 1% — the health risks are severe,” said the statement, adding early treatment with a rabies vaccine can prevent medical complications.
In July, 2019, a man on Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Island died after coming into contact with a rabid bat. He was already showing symptoms by the time he arrived at St. Paul’s Hospital in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»for treatment, but it was too late for doctors to be able to treat him successfully.
According to Fraser Health, bats are the only natural reservoir for rabies.