Child in Brisbane hospital critically ill with Australian bat lyssavirus HOSPITAL: A child is critically ill after being diagnosed with Australian bat lyssavirus. Picture: File Source: The Courier-Mail A CHILD is critically ill in a Brisbane hospital after being diagnosed with Australian bat lyssavirus Queensland Health Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young confirmed the 8-year-old boy, from an undisclosed location in North Queensland, was in a coma but stable in a Brisbane hospital. It is only the third confirmed case of ABLV in Australian history. Dr Young said the virus was closely related but not identical to rabies. She said the boy was bitten or scratched by a bat or flying fox about two and a half months ago and developed symptoms of a "brain infection" including fits, about three weeks ago. She warned it should be "assumed any bat in Australia could potentially carry the disease." It was theoretical, but highly unlikely, the disease could be passed from human to human, she said. The boy's family and siblings had shown no symptoms. This is a terribly difficult and distressing time for the family concerned, and I would ask everyone to respect their privacy at this time. Since November 1996, two people have died as a result of ABLV infection after being bitten by bats, both in Queensland.