“This can be a very tragic scenario,” director in well being safety Keira Glasgow mentioned.
“The person had been bitten by a bat a number of months in the past and obtained remedy following the harm.
“Additional investigation is underway to grasp whether or not different exposures or elements performed a task in his sickness.”
It is solely the fourth confirmed case nationally of a virus Glasgow mentioned was “extremely uncommon” in people.
However she known as on individuals to go away dealing with bats to professionals and assume any bat may carry lyssavirus.
It has been present in species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats.
Lyssavirus will be transmitted when the virus in a bat’s saliva enters by means of a chunk or scratch.
“In case you are bitten or scratched by a bat, pressing medical evaluation is essential,” Glasgow mentioned.
“You have to to clean the wound totally for quarter-hour straight away with cleaning soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus motion, comparable to betadine, and permit it to dry.
“You’ll then require remedy with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.”
If signs develop, there isn’t any efficient remedy, so authorities warn solely skilled, vaccinated handlers ought to contact bats.
Final 12 months, 118 individuals in NSW sought remedy after bites or scratches.
