Search and rescue teams see a lot of people in precarious situations in the great outdoors. But coming to the aid of a camper with a bat bite was “a first” for Cowichan Search and Rescue, which has been around since 1962.
The Cowichan team said it responded to a call June 15 just after 1 a.m. on Cowichan Lake, where a camper had been bitten by a bat. The campers had noticed bats in the air at Pineapple Beach, which is at the foot of Bald Mountain across from Honeymoon Bay, before going to sleep.
“One of them had some pain and noticed puncture marks on his leg,” Cowichan Search and Rescue said.
The team responded by boat to bring the injured man to road access and turned him over to paramedics with B.C. Emergency Health Services.
A statement from Cowichan Search and Rescue said it’s important for anyone who suspects they have been bitten by a bat to seek medical attention as soon as possible, since bats can carry rabies.
The team said if you are bitten or scratched by an animal that you think may have rabies, immediately wash the wound with soap and water from a running tap for at least 15 minutes, then flush thoroughly with water.
It’s recommended that you also get a rabies shot.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control said while dogs are responsible for most rabies cases worldwide, in B.C. several species of bats are currently the only known animals that carry the rabies virus.
About 0.5% of bats carry rabies in the province, but on average, 8% of bats sent for rabies testing are positive, according to the centre.
“Bats and other wild animals deserve our respect, and should not be touched or bothered, which can lead to potentially harmful contacts,” said the B.C. CDC. “The disease can be prevented by vaccination, but the best prevention is avoidance.”
