A surprising incident occurred during a school bus ride in Drumheller when a bat was discovered onboard. Following the bat’s presence, at least three students are undergoing treatment for potential rabies exposure after interacting with the bat last week, as per two parents who informed CBC News.
According to an email from the Golden Hills School Division’s transportation department, a bat emerged from a hiding spot on the moving bus and flew around, prompting concern. The school division did not provide comments before publication but mentioned that Alberta Health Services would contact families of students who were on the bus during the bat encounter as a precautionary measure.
Tom McMillan, a spokesperson from Alberta Primary and Preventative Health Services, stated that health officials promptly intervened upon learning of the incident on May 13. The affected students, along with the bus driver, were evaluated, with a few receiving treatment for exposure. Currently, there have been no reports of severe illness or adverse reactions among the students involved.
The transportation department informed parents that the bat eventually flew out of an open window after a brief period. Even if rabies is not initially detected, immediate medical attention is crucial following bat contact. University of Calgary neuroscientist and rabies expert, Alan Jackson, emphasized the importance of taking bat exposures seriously and recommended receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, involving multiple vaccine doses over two weeks.
Between 2016 and 2025, over 4,000 individuals in Alberta have received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. Notably, there have been two fatal human rabies cases in Alberta, occurring in 1985 and 2007. All 28 recorded cases in Canada, resulting from bat or international exposure, have been fatal. Jackson reiterated that once rabies symptoms manifest in humans, the disease is almost always deadly, underscoring the need for immediate medical attention.
Since 1927, Alberta has reported 1,019 animal rabies cases, predominantly involving bats and skunks. It is crucial for individuals with potential rabies exposures to seek medical assistance promptly to prevent the disease’s fatal progression.
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