Island Health says additional testing has confirmed that a free-roaming kitten initially believed to have rabies in July tested negative for the virus.
The kitten was believed to be living in a tree on or near a rural property in the 8000-block of Chemainus Road.
The BC Centre for Disease Control and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s rabies laboratory conducted further testing and confirmed the negative result on August 21.
According to health officials, the initial positive test in July was a very rare false positive.
Health authorities emphasize that in BC, rabies is primarily found in bats, and it is extremely uncommon for the virus to spread to other animals.
Related: Island Health issues warning over feral kitten with rabies in Chemainus
The risk to humans in the province remains mainly from bat exposure. Since 1924, there have been only two reported human rabies cases in BC, both linked to bats.
Rabies is a serious but preventable disease, and early intervention is critical.
Island Health urges pet owners to keep their animals up to date on rabies vaccinations, which not only protect pets but also help health officials assess animals that display unusual behaviours.
