Latest news with #RCDHU
CTV News
02-08-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Bat in Pembroke, Ont. tests positive for rabies, health unit says
The Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) says a bat that was found in Pembroke, Ont. has tested positive for rabies. The health unit said in a news release Friday that the bat was submitted as part of an investigation into possible human exposure and staff from the RCDHU have followed up with those involved to prevent rabies infection. 'Local human-bat exposures have been increasing in recent weeks and RCDHU is advising Renfrew County and District residents to remain vigilant about the risk of rabies. This animal rabies case is the first in Renfrew County and District this year,' the health unit said. According to the RCDHU 33 bats have been submitted for rabies testing since 2021 and of these 33, four (12 per cent) have tested positive for rabies. 'Rabies is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, which is almost always fatal. Rabies is transmitted to humans through direct contact with saliva from an infected animal, usually through a bite, but saliva contamination of cuts, scratches, or mucous membrane is also possible. The animals that most commonly have rabies in Ontario are bats, skunks, and raccoons. Human rabies cases in Canada are very rare,' the health unit says. The Renfrew County and District Health Unit says residents can protect themselves against rabies with several tips: Vaccinate your pets against rabies; it is the law in Ontario that all cats, dogs, and ferrets over 3 months of age are vaccinated against rabies. Stay away from wild animals and always refrain from feeding, touching, or handling wildlife. Do not trap and transport wild animals to a new location. Warn children to stay away from wild or stray animals. Keep pets away from wild animals and do not let pets roam unsupervised. You can bat-proof your home or cottage by caulking holes in the exterior, even those as small as one-quarter to one-half inch in diameter; tightening screens, capping your chimney, placing draft guards under doors leading to the attic and outside, and filling plumbing fixture holes with steel wool or caulk; and keeping doors tightly closed when going outside and coming back indoors. If a bat gets into your home, it's recommended you confine the bat to one room, open a window and turn off the lights so that it can fly out on its own. If it doesn't leave, contact pest control experts who can humanely trap and release the animal. 'If the bat is found in a bedroom, there has been any direct contact with a child, or you cannot rule out exposure to the bat's saliva, call a healthcare provider or RCDHU at 613-732-3629 ext. 505 for advice immediately,' the health unit says. 'Bats have tiny teeth and a bite mark from a bat can be difficult to find.' If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal, the health unit recommends you collect the contact information of the animal's owner/custodian where applicable (their name, address and phone number), immediately thoroughly wash all bite or scratch wounds with soap and water, seek immediate medical attention to assess the need for post exposure treatment, and report the incident to the RCDHU at 613-732-3629 ext. 505 The RCDHU says rabies vaccines are highly effective at preventing the disease if administered soon after an exposure.
CTV News
26-04-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Total number of measles cases surpasses 1,000 in Ontario
The total number of measles cases has surpassed 1,000 in the province, according to Public Health Ontario (PHO). PHO says the total number of cases is 1,020, noting that over the past week alone, it grew by 95 cases. The cases are associated with an outbreak linked to travel from New Brunswick. Fifteen public health units in the province are affected. There are no confirmed cases of measles in Ottawa. 'The sharp increase in the number of outbreak cases and the geographic spread in recent weeks is due to continued exposures and transmission among individuals who have not been immunized,' PHO says on its website. On Friday, the Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) confirmed its first local measles case. It says on its website the measles case was confirmed in an unvaccinated resident who travelled within Ontario, noting that this adult individual is currently isolating and following the necessary public health measures. As a precautionary measure, the health unit is asking residents who were present at the following locations to take note of possible exposure on April 15: Renfrew Victoria Hospital's Emergency Department, located at 499 Raglan St. North, from 1p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and its Diagnostic Imaging centre (if you had an X-Ray, ultrasound, CT scan, echocardiography, bone density scan, fluoroscopy, and/or ECG) from 4:50 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. No Frills, located at 680 O'Brien Rd, Renfrew, from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Those residents are asked to check their vaccination records to make sure they have two doses of measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV). They are asked to call the RCDHU at 613-732-3629 or 1-800-267-1097 if not vaccinated and monitor for symptoms. The health unit says people who were born before 1970 'would likely have had measles as a child and are protected.' The South East Health Unit (SEHU) reported new cases of measles exposures in three different locations in Picton, Ont., Bloomfield, Ont. and Trenton, Ont. earlier this month. It also warned residents of possible exposures in Kingston, Ont. and Bellville, Ont. Health units say measles is very contagious, and easily transmissible by air, adding that it 'can result in complications such as diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. Rarely, measles can cause brain infections and death.' Symptoms begin to surface seven to 21 days after exposure and include fever, runny nose, cough, drowsiness, and red eyes, says the SEHU, noting that 'small white spots appear on the inside of the mouth and throat but are not always present.' 'Three to seven days after symptoms begin, a red, blotchy rash appears on the face and then progresses down the body,' reads the release. Here's what to do if you develop symptoms: Stay home and do not attend work or school. Call your health-care provider. If you need to go to a clinic or other health-care setting for care, it is important to contact them ahead of time to avoid inadvertently exposing others. You may also call SEHU's Infectious and Communicable Diseases Program at 613-966- 5500, extension 349. More information about measles is available here.
