Mornings With John Mackenzie

John MacKenzie chats with Dr. Tonia Marquardt, ), Public Health Medical Officer at Tropical Public Health Services Cairns, about the flying fox breeding season beginning and the associated risk of infection. The breeding season sees more fallen juveniles which increases the chance of human exposure. Bats have a complex immune system with the ability to host a range of diseases, with the threat of lyssavirus being of most concern in Far North Queensland. Twenty-three people have been bitten or scratched in Cairns this year so far. Do not touch or interact with any fruit bats you may see.