Zombie Apocalypse Walking Dead Virus in Queensland? No. By John Steele
No, not quite, the zombie apocalypse, yet, but still a major concern with a deadly bat lyssavirus in Queensland.
“A flying fox has tested positive to a rabies-like bat virus that can kill humans if they are bitten or scratched.
The juvenile little red flying fox was found in suburban Cairns in north Queensland and euthanised by a wildlife carer, who sent its body to Brisbane for testing.
Scientists from Biosecurity Queensland tested the bat's corpse and found it was positive for the deadly Australian bat lyssavirus, known as ABLV, last Friday.
A Biosecurity Queensland spokesman confirmed the positive test on Tuesday.
'In Queensland during 2020, there have been three confirmed cases of ABLV whilst, in 2019, there was only one confirmed case of ABLV,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'Since 1996, there have been three human cases of disease due to ABLV. All were fatal.'
ABLV was first identified in a five-month-old juvenile black flying fox collected near Ballina in northern New South Wales in January 1995.
Humans can catch ABLV if they are bitten or scratched by infected bats.
'In humans, ABLV causes an invariably fatal encephalitis which is an infection and inflammation of the brain,' the spokesman said.
'Clinical signs include paralysis, seizures and tremors.'
It is sound advice to beware of bats, who are not friendly like Batman, instead carrying numerous diseases. Nasty little buggers, I say.
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