Grey nomads already in the north of Western Australia or on their way there soon are being urged to be avoid being outside at peak times of mosquito activity after evidence of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in the region.
The WA Department of Health is sending an additional mosquito surveillance team to the Pilbara to investigate.
Recent JEV activity has now been identified in both the Pilbara and Kimberley through the Department’s sentinel chicken surveillance program, which acts as an early warning system for mosquito-borne virus disease.
The most recent positive sample was collected in February 2023 from a chicken flock in Newman in the east Pilbara, indicating infection occurred in the past two months.
Grey nomads are being warned to be mozzie vigilant. PIC: Pexels
JEV is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and can cause Japanese encephalitis (JE) in humans.
As well as avoiding being outside at peak mozzie times, residents and travellers in the north are being asked to apply an effective mosquito repellent and wear long, loose-fitting clothing to avoid being bitten.
Department of Health’s Senior Medical Advisor, Communicable Disease Control, Dr Jelena Maticevic said JEV activity in the Pilbara was new and represented a significant risk to human health.
“This is the first time evidence of JEV has been found in the Pilbara but follows on from recent evidence of JEV in the Kimberley,” Dr Maticevic said. “Combined, these results indicate ongoing risk of JEV infection in the northern part of the state.”
Most people infected will apparently have no or very mild symptoms and will fully recover, however, a small percentage develop severe illness including an encephalitis (brain inflammation), which can lead to serious complications and death.”
There have been 45 human cases of the mosquito-borne disease JE reported in Australia since January 2021, from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Seven people have died.
There have been no cases of JE reported in people in WA to date.
Avoiding mosquito bites will also protect against other mosquito-borne diseases for which there is no vaccine, including Murray Valley encephalitis.
WA’s Department of Health has recently detected widespread evidence of Murray Valley encephalitis and Kunjin virus activity in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
JEV is a nationally notifiable disease in both humans and animals.
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