The Metro South public health unit is urging West End market-goers to call health authorities, after a diseased bat was found at Davies Park on Saturday morning.
The bat was found in the park by a member of the public during the popular West-End markets, and tested positive to the potentially deadly Australian Bat Lyssavirus.
Metro South public health physician, Kari Jarvinen told Brisbane Times, anyone who had touched or handled the bat could have been exposed to the virus.
“We need to ascertain what exposure the person has had because immediate treatment flowing a bat scratch or bite can prevent a very serious and usually lethal disease.”
“Since 1996 three people have died as a result of Australian bat Lyssavirus exposure following bites or scratches from bats.”
Dr Jarvinen says anyone at risk of exposure should call 13 HEALTH urgently.
According to the physician, more than 100 cases of potential exposure to ABL are reported each year, and usually relate to people being scratched or bitten by bats.
“A bat bite, scratch or mucous membrane exposure to bat salvia is necessary to transmit the virus,” he says.
“Only vaccinated people who have been trained in the care of bats should ever handle bats.”
Anyone who finds a sick or injured bat is urged to call the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection on 1300 130 372 or the RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL.
If you have been in contact or close contact with the diseased bat, call 13 HEALTH immediately.
People are more important than bats…..get rid of them before risking more lives.
Di – you may feel like that, but even if that solution was ethically or ecologically acceptable (flying foxes are major pollinators of eucalypt forests); the authorities could spend **massive** amounts of money without “getting rid” of the problem. Flying foxes can move huge distances and their colonies are not static…so if you “got rid” of local ones, more would come. Seriously, we have to be able to live with these creatures and understand how to safely coexist until a vaccine is discovered.
Dear Di, I am not sure how close to a colony you live, but you are welcome to reside at my home to get the full bat experience . Being woken at 3am for months on end, the unbelievable never ending noise, the constant worry that your child may find one dead or be bitten, not being able to hang your washing without returning to find bat poo on it , not to mention the fowl odour. Then after this experience maybe you will be able to offer my neighbours and myself a solution to coexisting with these pests.
Kay, I did not suggest to coexisting with these pests, Mel did. I totally agree with what you are saying and in our suburb we have the same problem. With the Possums & Bats we do not have any Mangoes left, they eat all the berries off our shrubs also and give an awful fight when we go up our back steps and hoping they do not scratch us whilst doing so. The paintwork on the house and cars are also effected, and their smell is disgusting, I would never hang washing outside for the same reason. Obviously these people who suggest coexisting have not experienced any of these problems.