Three people have received preventive rabies treatment after being bitten by a stray cat infected with rabies in Quebec’s Montérégie region, public health officials confirmed Thursday.
The cat was found in Godmanchester, about 75 kilometres southwest of Montreal on July 23. It is Quebec’s first confirmed case of raccoon rabies in a domestic cat, according to the province’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Montérégie public health says the three individuals received post-exposure prophylaxis, the treatment used to prevent rabies after potential exposure to the virus.
Officials say the treatment is “practically 100 per cent effective” when administered promptly after exposure.
The ministry is reminding anyone bitten or scratched by a suspected rabid animal, or who comes into contact with its saliva, to wash the affected area with soap and water for 15 minutes and call Info-Santé 811 immediately.
As of July 29, Quebec has confirmed 118 cases of raccoon rabies, primarily in the Montérégie and Eastern Townships regions. Pet owners are also being urged to ensure their animals’ rabies vaccinations are up to date.
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