As of: February 12, 2024, 4:07 p.m
By: Natascha Berger, Sandra Sporer
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Four children in Australia may have been infected with a deadly virus.
Authorities are urgently searching for them to prevent a tragedy.
Ipswich – Animals often have a magical attraction for children.
So it's no surprise that four children's interest was piqued when they discovered a bat in a park in Ipswich, Queensland.
They were seen playing with the animal.
However, this could have dire consequences for them, as the bat is said to have been infected with a deadly virus.
Children play with a bat that was probably infected with a dangerous virus
It is the Australian bat lyssavirus, ABLV for short.
But how did the suspicion arise that the bat was carrying the virus?
Hannah Bloch, who heads a health department in Australia, told ABC News that the animal was exhibiting unusual behavior.
The animal was lying on its stomach and had difficulty moving.
These are clear signs of the bat lyssavirus, said Bloch.
Although only about one percent of bats carry the virus, the probability of infection in animals that behave abnormally increases to 30 percent.
The WHO is warning of another virus that is currently on the rise.
A stuffed bat of the genus “Gray Long-eared” (Plecotus austriacus) in the Natural History Museum.
© picture alliance / dpa/archive image
Authorities are looking for children infected with the virus – treatment is only possible before symptoms appear
The health department is therefore urgently appealing to parents in Ipswich: Anyone who has visited the park should urgently speak to their children and contact the authorities immediately.
It is crucial not to wait for the first symptoms to appear, but to contact the health department immediately.
Bat lyssavirus is fatal if not diagnosed before symptoms appear.
From this point onwards there is no longer any effective treatment.
However, people at increased risk can be vaccinated.
The incubation period is variable and can range from five days to two years.
If the children were bitten or scratched by the bat, authorities say they need immediate treatment.
The German Tropical Institute warned travelers heading to Australia about the deadly virus in 2017 and announced that the likelihood of infection is particularly increased during the breeding season in October and November.
During this time, people come into contact with bats more often as the newborns lie on the ground and people try to save them.
In general, it is not recommended to touch bats.
However, observing these animals in Germany is easy with a few tips, as an expert explains.
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A few years ago, an eight-year-old died from the deadly bat lyssavirus
The Australian Department of Health hopes to find the four children quickly to prevent a tragedy.
Since 1996, three people have died from the rabies-like virus in Queensland, Australia.
The most recent death occurred in 2013, when an eight-year-old boy was scratched by a bat and later died in hospital as a result.
Death from lyssavirus infection usually occurs seven to ten days after symptoms appear
Infection with ABLV can cause a special form of rabies with the following symptoms:
Headache
Fever
Loss of appetite
fatigue
Cramps and pain at the bite or scratch site are also typical
For infected people, it usually only takes seven to ten days between the appearance of the first symptoms and death, as the RKI reports.
The occurrence of the bat lyssavirus “cannot be ruled out anywhere”, so in the event of contact, medical advice should always be sought as quickly as possible.
Bats with the deadly virus have also been discovered in Germany.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked.
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