Warning issued on handling bats
A Mackay man who lost his wife to the bat-borne lyssavirus is pleading for people to heed health authority warnings and not handle sick or injured bats.
Monique Todhunter, 37, died in the Mackay Base Hospital on Sunday after being bitten by a fruit bat at a girl's fifth birthday party just over two years ago.
Her husband, Clint - as well as the girl and two neighbours - are undergoing precautionary vaccinations to ward off the rabies-related virus.
Mr Todhunter says his wife leapt to the girl's aid after the bat swooped down and landed on the youngster's back.
The bat sank its teeth into his wife's finger.
He used his own hands to prise open the bat's jaws to free her hand.
Mr Todhunter says he believes the bat was attracted by the girl's shampoo or perfume.
Mrs Todhunter only started to show signs of the killer virus about three weeks ago.
She is the second person in Australia to die of the killer bat disease - the first victim was Rockhampton wildlife handler Patricia Padget, who died just over two years ago.
The virus has been detected in bats between Melbourne and Darwin.
It causes the brain to swell and there is no cure at this stage.
