More than 40 people have been bitten or scratched by bats in New South Wales in the space of two weeks, prompting an urgent warning over the rare but deadly Australian bat lyssavirus.
NSW Health said 43 people were assessed after encounters with bats between September 28 and October 10 – more than four times the number recorded during the same period last year.
The incidents occurred across the Hunter New England, Mid North Coast, Northern NSW and Central Coast regions.
Australian bat lyssavirus is closely related to rabies and can be transmitted to people through a bite or scratch, or through contact with an infected bat’s saliva. Initial symptoms can include headaches, fever and fatigue before progressing to paralysis, delirium and convulsions.
Once symptoms develop, the infection is almost always fatal, with death potentially occurring within one or two weeks.
Only three human cases have been recorded in Australia since the virus was identified in 1996. All were in Queensland and each person died.
Keira Glasgow, NSW Health’s director of health protection, urged people not to handle bats, including those which appeared injured or distressed.
“We want people to assume that any bat could carry Australian bat lyssavirus, which is a close relative to the rabies virus and very dangerous to humans,” she said.
“If you see a bat that is injured or in distress, call your local wildlife rescue service and do not touch it. Only trained, protected and vaccinated wildlife handlers should interact with bats.
“It is incredibly rare for Australian bat lyssavirus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment.
“If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, urgent medical assessment is crucial.”
Advice after a bat bite or scratch
Anyone bitten or scratched should wash the wound immediately with soap and water for 15 minutes, apply an antiviral antiseptic such as Betadine and seek urgent medical advice about treatment to prevent infection.
The increase in encounters has coincided with food shortages, which are causing flying foxes to alter their usual behaviour and come into closer contact with people.
Ingrid Emery, executive director of conservation programmes at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, said hungry bats were increasingly staying in suburban trees during daylight hours instead of returning to their colonies.
“During food shortage events, flying-foxes typically stay in feed trees during the day instead of returning to their larger colonies,” Ms Emery said.
“Consequently, members of the community are seeing flying-foxes remaining in their backyard trees during the day.”
