North Queensland health authorities issue warning over flying foxes after more exposures

A health warning has been issued for parts of north Queensland after dozens of people have been bitten or scratched by flying foxes.

Authorities say encounters with the bats are on the increase and are urging the public to keep their distance.

Since the start of the year, 17 people have come into contact with bats across the Townsville health district and 20 in the Mackay region.

Townsville Public Health Unit reports that those numbers have been gradually increasing in recent years.

However, the health service says it has not recorded recent increases in the fatal Australian bat lyssavirus (ABVL).

Kate Murton says there has been an increase in exposures to flying foxes. (ABC North Qld: Gabrielle Becerra Mellet)

Acting director Dr Kate Murton said flying foxes could carry the dangerous virus.

"ABLV is one of the most lethal viruses we know of — it can cause paralysis, delirium, convulsions and ultimately death," she said.

"If anyone comes into contact with a bat bite or a bat scratch, we need them to urgently seek emergency treatment.

"We have to treat every bat exposure as if they have the virus."

Four people have died from the virus since 1996 across Australia, with the latest death recorded in New South Wales this year.

Bats 'bite through gloves'

Dr Murton said it was bat breeding season and there were more cases of animals becoming tangled in fences or barbed wire.

Health authorities say only trained and vaccinated wildlife carers should handle bats. (ABC North Qld: Lily Nothling)

"People are attempting to help the distressed animal, which is when they get bitten or scratched," she said.

"With recent cases, we have seen flying foxes scratch through clothing and bite through gloves."

Dr Murton said authorities were urging people to leave bats alone.

"If you have been bitten or scratched, then immediately and thoroughly wash the wounds with soap and water, use antiseptic solution, and go directly to the emergency department for post-exposure treatment," she said.

Widespread across northern regions

James Cook University adjunct associate professor Noel Preece said there were three species of bats found in north Queensland: the little red, spectacled and black flying foxes.

Bats roosting at Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens in Townsville. (ABC North Qld: Brooke Tindall)

"The reds are hard to predict but they do follow the flowering of eucalypts and melaleuca in particular," he said.

"They can move in huge numbers across the country, to where the eucalypts are flowering at the time."

He said colonies of the animals were often difficult to move on.

"Instead of having a colony that might be 500 or a thousand or something — by disturbing them, they can break up into a hundred or 50," he said.

Influx expected​

In Charters Towers, black flying foxes are considered residents.

Tens of thousands of the species previously roosted at Lissner Park in the town's centre in recent years, How do you relocate 100,000 bats?

Liz Schmidt says there has been an influx of migratory red flying foxes in the region. (ABC North Queensland: Georgia Loney)

A colony was successfully moved to a site near the town's sewage treatment plant, using dispersal techniques.

But Mayor Liz Schmidt said the council was now dealing with migratory red flying foxes, who also came to roost at Lissner Park.

"They come in, they land in the trees and they roost, then they have babies and we can't touch them," she said.

"Community understands through a lot of consultation — that they will come, we have to expect the influx of the migratory ones to come."

Ms Schmidt said there had been issues with dispersal techniques.

"There was pyrotechnics, there was banging, there was smoke," she said.

"It's an impost on our community; some people are vulnerable, some people with PTSD."

She too urged her residents to stay away from the flying foxes.

"Leave them alone, don't touch them, don't let them scratch you and you won't be impacted negatively, health-wise," she said.

Written by Gabrielle Becerra Mellet, ABC News.