Reports of potential exposures to bats soar in southwestern Manitoba

Human bat exposures are soaring in southwestern Manitoba. So far in 2026, Prairie Mountain Health logged around 40 suspected incidents. That's up from 10 last year, and one of those bats tested positive for rabies. Medical officer of health Dr. Anna Johnston says every encounter needs immediate attention because the tiny creatures leave virtually no evidence behind. And that would be the only. Like pretty much the only animal like that where you might just not see, you might not see a mark and might not feel a bite or a scratch. The health region is tracking the spike, but says it's unclear why it's happening. Bat expert Craig Willis says it's unlikely local bat numbers have suddenly boomed. A fungal disease devastated Manitoba colonies in 2018. Instead, Willis believes growing public awareness is driving people to report when they encounter a bat. You're still almost certainly safe in that situation. If a bat touches, makes contact with you, I would also go and get it. Rabies has a typical incubation period of three to eight weeks. Once symptoms develop, the virus is almost always fatal. Johnston says that makes prevention and quick medical treatment critical. On the plus side, people are really reporting the exposures, you know, and we're not seeing anyone developing rabies. So that gives us some reassurance that we're not missing anything. The health region is keeping a close eye on reported bad exposures. Their main message is if someone thinks they've been exposed to rabies, seek medical attention as soon as you can. Chelsea Kemp, CBC News, Brandon.