A surprising incident occurred during a school bus ride in Drumheller when a bat was discovered onboard. Following contact with the bat, at least three students are undergoing treatment for potential rabies exposure, as reported by two parents to CBC News. The Golden Hills School Division’s transportation department informed parents via email that a bat emerged from hiding on the bus and flew around while the vehicle was in motion.
As a precautionary measure, Alberta Health Services will reach out to the families of students present during the bat incident, while those not onboard at the time will not be contacted. The school division did not provide comments before the article’s publication.
Health officials promptly responded to the situation after it was reported on May 13, assessing the bus driver and students potentially exposed to the bat. Some individuals received treatment for exposure, with no reports of serious illness or adverse reactions among the affected students so far.
Though rabies has not been detected, ongoing treatment is necessary following contact with a bat. Immediate medical attention is advised even without initial rabies confirmation. Post-exposure prophylaxis, involving multiple doses of rabies vaccine over a two-week span, is the typical response to bat exposure.
Between 2016 and 2025, over 4,000 individuals in Alberta received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. The province has recorded two fatal human rabies cases in 1985 and 2007, out of a total of 28 cases in Canada, all stemming from bat exposure or exposure outside the country.
Human rabies symptoms are usually fatal once they manifest. To prevent rabies, individuals with potential exposure should seek medical assistance. Alberta has documented 1,019 animal rabies cases from 1927 to 2025, predominantly involving bats and skunks.