BALCONY ATTACK
A CAIRNS man has been scratched by a flying fox on the 13th floor of an inner-city apartment block amid a spike in bat-related injuries across the Far North.
Stanley Leszczewicz was exercising in a sheltered corner on the balcony of his unit at Centrepoint Apartments, next to the Cairns Library, early Wednesday morning when a flying fox flew in and grappled with his left arm.
Mr Leszczewicz, who has lived in the building for about 10 years, said it was the first time he had ever had such a close encounter with one of the hundreds of bats roosting in trees surrounding the neighbouring library.
“I was worried when it grabbed me, about whether I would get any diseases after it scratched my arm,” he said.
He was taken to Cairns Hospital, where he received several injections to ensure he would not contract any infections, including Australian bat lyssavirus.
His wife, Joan, said despite their proximity to the bat colony, their encounters with flying foxes had been rare.
“What annoys me, is they’re now coming into our environment,” she said.
Figures from the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service show there was 72 people bitten or scratched by bats across the region last year, compared to just 49 during 2017.
There have been five incidents reported to the health service since the start of 2019.
Tropical Public Health Services acting director Dr Madhamati Chatterji said nearly half the incidents reported last year related to the heatwave, which resulted in a high number of injured and dead bats around Cairns from November-December. “It is extremely important for people to avoid contact with bats, because some bats may be infected with the potentially deadly Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV),” she said.
“All bat scratches and bites require treatment, including vaccination, as soon as possible, to guard against the development of ABLV.”
Bats and Trees Society of Cairns president Maree Treadwell-Kerr said little red flying foxes, and juvenile bats, were notorious for flying into manmade objects and “balcony hopping” — particularly with more development in the city centre.
She advised people not to handle the protected animals, particularly if they appeared sick or injured.
“If you see any flying foxes in trouble, don’t pick them up,” she said. “If you’re in an unfortunate situation like (Mr Leszczewicz), there’s a very low chance of a flying fox having any (disease). But because we can’t tell, then you should seek immediate medical attention.”