A girl aged eight and her seven-year-old brother have died after they were bitten by a bat, with their toddler sister miraculously surviving.

The girl died in the ICU on 7th January, a week after her younger brother passed away.

The siblings and their younger sister had been bitten by the bat at their home in the locality of El Palo de Lima on 1st December.

Their parents had apparently not realised the seriousness of the attack and had waited 20 days before taking them to Dr Aurelio Valdivieso General Hospital in Oaxaca, where they were diagnosed with rabies.

According to health officials, the girl was admitted with “health complications” and was “evaluated by infectious disease, paediatric, and neurology specialists, with a serious diagnosis”.

Days later, she failed to respond to stimuli and was declared brain dead.

Gabriel Garcia of the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference reported on 2nd January that a brain biopsy performed on the boy tested positive for rabies.

The siblings’ two-year-old sister survived the bat attack and was discharged on 30th December after being administered anti-rabies serum.

Officials in Oaxaca said their family is poor and lacked the knowledge to know how to respond in such a situation.

Health officials in San Lorenzo Texmelucan, Mexico, have now confirmed that concerned locals may now receive anti-rabies vaccinations.

Authorities have also ordered nearby farm animals to be vaccinated against the disease and a public health campaign to warn of its risks will also be launched.

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through contact with infected saliva and through bites or scratches.

Symptoms include fever, a cough, or a sore throat. When the disease worsens, it can cause hallucinations, seizures, and even death if an early diagnosis is not made.