A bat incident on a school bus in Drumheller led to three students undergoing treatment for potential rabies exposure last week, as reported by two parents to CBC News. The transportation department of Golden Hills School Division informed parents via email that a bat emerged during the bus ride and flew around while the bus was moving. Alberta Health Services will contact the families of students present during the bat incident as a precautionary measure.
Following the report on May 13, Alberta Primary and Preventative Health Services took immediate action. The bus driver and potentially exposed students were assessed, with a few receiving treatment. At present, there have been no reports of severe illness or adverse reactions among the affected students.
Although rabies has not been confirmed, ongoing treatment is necessary after contact with a bat. University of Calgary neuroscientist Alan Jackson emphasized the importance of taking bat exposure seriously and receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, which involves multiple doses of the rabies vaccine over two weeks.
Over the years, more than 4,000 individuals in Alberta have undergone rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. Notably, there have been two fatal human rabies cases in Alberta since 1924, both attributed to bat exposure. Seeking medical assistance upon potential rabies exposure is crucial to prevent the disease, which is almost always fatal once symptoms manifest.
The Alberta government recorded 1,019 animal rabies cases from 1927 to 2025, with bats and skunks comprising the majority of cases. It is essential to exercise caution around wild animals to prevent rabies transmission.
