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Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Australian man dies from bat bite
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The virus is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. SYDNEY - An Australian man has died from an 'extremely rare' rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said on July 3. The man in his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' NSW Health said in a statement. 'While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it.' The man from northern New South Wales, who has not been identified, was this week listed as being in a 'critical condition' in hospital. The virus – a close relative to rabies, which does not exist in Australia – is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. First symptoms can take days or years to appear. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Singapore Over 40% of Singaporean seniors have claimed SG60 vouchers: Low Yen Ling Asia 4 dead, 38 missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia's Bali Singapore $1.46b nickel-trading scam: Ng Yu Zhi's bid for bail midway through trial denied by High Court Singapore Pedestrian-only path rules to be enforced reasonably; focus on errant cyclists: Baey Yam Keng Singapore Jail for 'sugar daddy' who gave minor cash for sex, threatened to post her explicit videos online Singapore Train service resumes across Bukit Panjang LRT line after power fault led to 3-hour disruption Asia Bus carrying 46 passengers crashes with two lorries in Johor, leaving two dead, 16 injured Early signs of the disease are flu-like – a headache, fever and fatigue, the health service said. The victim's condition rapidly deteriorates, leading to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death. There were only three previous cases of human infection by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was first identified in 1996 – all of them fatal. People should avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus, the New South Wales health service said. 'If you or someone you know is bitten or scratched by a bat, you need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action,' it said. 'Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.' The virus has been found in species of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said. The type of bat involved in the latest fatality has not been identified. AFP
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
South Korea's Lee pledges ‘bold' economic policy after martial law crisis
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said it was his top priority to improve the lives of the people. SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed on July 3 to implement a 'bold' fiscal policy to boost a flagging economy after the country's martial law crisis and to tackle challenges posed by looming US tariffs and North Korea. Mr Lee, who was elected on June 3 in a snap election , said it was his top priority to improve the lives of the people, whose faith in government had been greatly shaken by 'a national crisis' that hammered Asia's fourth-largest economy. 'It is a time when the proactive and bold role of national finance is more important than ever,' Mr Lee, who has pledged to implement expansionary fiscal policy, said in his opening remarks at a news conference to mark 30 days in office. Mr Lee's predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law in December 2024 , shocking a nation that had come to pride itself as a thriving democracy having overcome military dictatorship in the 1980s and triggering an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Mr Lee's administration has proposed US$14.7 billion (S$18.7 billion) of extra government spending to support sluggish domestic demand. Parliament, controlled by his Democratic Party, is expected to vote on the budget Bill soon. The president also said in his opening remarks that he was doing his best to achieve a 'mutually beneficial and sustainable' outcome from trade negotiations with the United States. South Korea is hoping to contain the impact of US President Donald Trump's threatened punishing tariffs that could weigh on an export-reliant economy with major semiconductor, auto and steel industries. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Singapore Over 40% of Singaporean seniors have claimed SG60 vouchers: Low Yen Ling Asia 4 dead, 38 missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia's Bali Singapore $1.46b nickel-trading scam: Ng Yu Zhi's bid for bail midway through trial denied by High Court Singapore Pedestrian-only path rules to be enforced reasonably; focus on errant cyclists: Baey Yam Keng Singapore Jail for 'sugar daddy' who gave minor cash for sex, threatened to post her explicit videos online Singapore Train service resumes across Bukit Panjang LRT line after power fault led to 3-hour disruption Asia Bus carrying 46 passengers crashes with two lorries in Johor, leaving two dead, 16 injured US tariff talks Mr Lee said tariff negotiations with the United States had 'not been easy', and he could not say if an agreement was possible in time for Washington's July 8 deadline, when tough reciprocal import duties are set to kick in. During high-level trade talks in June, Washington raised issues related to South Korea's non-tariff barriers, as Seoul already imposes nearly zero tariffs on US imports under a free trade agreement, a senior South Korean trade official has said. South Korea's top trade envoy Yeo Han-koo said on July 3 that Seoul wanted to ensure that it was not put at a comparative disadvantage as other major countries conduct last-minute trade negotiations with the United States. Mr Lee, a liberal former human rights lawyer, said the alliance with the United States was the cornerstone of his foreign policy, but pledged a pragmatic approach as the basis of a speedy effort to improve ties with China and Russia. Peace with North Korea was not only a national security priority, but a crucial part of a 'virtuous cycle of peace and economic growth,' he said. Mr Lee said tension with Pyongyang has had a real negative economic impact despite South Korea's strong military capabilities, funded by a defence budget larger than the North's total economic output. 'Even if you're at war, you have to have diplomacy and dialogue. To completely cut off dialogue is truly foolish,' Mr Lee said when asked about his plans on relations with Pyongyang. The two Koreas remain technically in a state of war under a truce that ended fighting in 1953. He said he had been surprised by the swift response from North Korea after he suspended loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts directed across the border and said he would take additional steps to ease tensions. Under Yoon, who took a hard line against Pyongyang, the two sides scrapped a 2018 military agreement that sharply escalated hostility. REUTERS
