Due to a heatwave, many bats have fallen dead in Kanpur, Delhi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh: Can the carcasses pose a health risk to humans?

A “large number” of dead bats were found in Nana Rao Park in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – an area known to be a habitat for bats – due to the extreme heatwave with temperatures over 45 degrees Celsius, a PTI report said. Locals reported a foul smell due to the large number of dead bats. Similar incidents were reported from Delhi, where temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius.

Could the dead bats pose health risks to humans? We asked doctors.

Bats, like many other Mammalscan carry the rabies virus and transmit the disease. “Rabies is the biggest health threat associated with bats. It causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which leads to convulsions and coma and is fatal in all cases as there is no treatment,” said neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar of Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad.

Kumar advises handling apparently dead bats with thick leather gloves and a long stick or pole. “If the bat is confirmed dead, it should be buried deeply to prevent pets from digging it up. Bat droppings can also cause histoplasmosis, a rare lung infection. Anyone who has been in areas with dead “Bats should wear masks,” he said.

Environmental stressors such as heat waves could alter pathogen transmission dynamics and potentially give rise to new zoonoses, said Dr Pooja Pillai, consultant diabetologist at SPARSH Hospital in Bengaluru.

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The death of bats near water sources can lead to Water pollutionthe spread of diseases. “This affects both drinking water and water used for recreational purposes,” said Pillai.

Experts warn that a significant decline in bat populations could lead to an increase in mosquito populations, which in turn increases the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, dengue fever and malaria. “Decomposing bat carcasses can produce unpleasant odours and attract scavengers and pests such as flies and rats, which in turn leads to the spread of diseases,” Pillai said.