Spike in bat bites across NSW prompts urgent lyssavirus health alert

In the last two weeks, 43 people in New South Wales reported being bitten or scratched by bats, prompting NSW Health to issue a rapid warning about Australian bat lyssavirus, a virus closely related to rabies. The incidents were concentrated in the coastal zones of the Hunter, Mid-North Coast, Northern NSW and the Central Coast. Keira Glasgow, Director of Health Protection, urged the public to treat any bat as potentially infected, to avoid direct contact with distressed animals, and to seek urgent medical assessment if bitten.

She outlined first-aid steps, including a 15-minute wash with soap and water followed by antiseptic and antiviral ointment. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water attributed the heightened bat activity to food shortages affecting the east coast. Officials emphasized that while transmission to humans is rare, once symptoms appear there is no effective cure, making prompt treatment essential.