Australians warned not to touch bats after incidents QUADRUPLE in two weeks amid rabies-like virus fears

NSW Health has put out an urgent public alert after 43 people were bitten or scratched by bats across northern New South Wales in a fortnight — more than four times the 10 cases recorded in the same period last year. Australian bat lyssavirus, a close relative of rabies, is almost always fatal by the time symptoms emerge, with death potentially occurring within one to two weeks of onset. Keira Glasgow, director of health protection at NSW Health, urged residents to treat any bat as a potential carrier of the deadly virus. Wildlife experts attribute the rise in human encounters to a food shortage pushing bats into suburban areas.

All three Australians previously confirmed to have contracted bat lyssavirus since it was identified in 1996 died from the infection.

Early symptoms resemble flu — fever, fatigue and headache — before rapidly progressing to paralysis, seizures and delirium, with no effective treatment once they begin.

Anyone bitten or scratched should scrub the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes using soap and water, apply antiviral antiseptic, and seek urgent medical care immediately rather than waiting for symptoms.