Health unit warns of bat dangers
Prompted by the recent case of a man requiring treatment for a bat scratch, the North Coast Public Health Unit has issued a firm warning for people to leave the handling of bats to the experts.
The man receiving treatment found a young fruit bat on the side of the road and took it to a local wildlife park. In the process he was scratched by the bat, which subsequently tested positive for the potentially deadly Australian Bat Lyssavirus, a virus related to the rabies virus.
Public Health Officer Kerri Viney warned that lyssavirus carried by Australian bats can be fatal.
“It is spread from infected bats to humans through a bite or scratch. Avoiding exposure to bats is a much safer alternative than having to face a lengthy course of injections in order to protect against the disease,” she said.
“Two people in Australia have died as a result of contracting the virus from bats and my advice is to never handle bats under any circumstances unless you have the necessary training, equipment and vaccinations.”
People finding injured bats caught in fruit netting or fences are often tempted to handle the bat to free it. Even if bats are in need of help, the advice is to leave the bat where it is, and to contact the NSW animal rescue service WIRES on 1800 641 188.
Ms Viney said that the North Coast typically sees large numbers of bats at this time of year because of the availability of fruit in the area. The North Coast Public Health Unit has already been advised of six people who have had bat bites or scratches.
In the event of being bitten or scratched by a bat people are advised to:
Wash the wound thoroughly and immediately with soap and water
Apply an antiseptic solution such as Betadine
See a doctor as soon as possible to care for the wound and to assess whether there might be a risk of infection. If there is, a course of injections is needed to help prevent the disease.
