More than 40 people across NSW have been bitten or scratched by bats in the last two weeks, prompting NSW Health to urge anybody bitten to seek “urgent medical assessment”.
Between September 28 and October 10, 43 people were assessed by NSW Health after they were scratched or bitten by bats, with most incidents taking place in coastal parts of the Hunter, Mid-North Coast, Northern NSW and The Central Coast.
Director of Health Protection at NSW Health Keira Glasgow said people should assume “any bat could carry Australian bat lyssavirus, which is a close relative to the rabies virus and very dangerous to humans”.
“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 the bats,” Ms Glasgow said.
“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.”
Anybody bitten by a bat should wash their wound thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water before applying antiseptic and antiviral ointment, such as betadine.
The increased bat activity is being caused by food shortages, according to the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
The DCCEEW said foot shortages were taking place along most of the NSW East Coast.