BY DAKOTA TAIT
Japanese encephalitis virus has been detected in the Hunter New England Health District.
Two men, one from New South Wales and one from Victoria, have passed away with the virus.
A number of patients across Australia have been identified with the disease or are undergoing testing, with more cases expected to be confirmed soon.
Closer to home, it's been identified in the Tenterfield area, but there's concern it could spread further.
Dr David Durrheim, a public health physician at Hunter New England Health, says it's something to keep an eye on.
"It's very well-documented and very well-spread across tropical parts of both Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, but in Australia, it's previously been restricted to the Torres Strait and the very top end of Cape York," Dr Durrheim said.
"So it's very unusual to have the detection that we've seen in both humans and pigs, in four Australian states."
The mosquito-borne virus can't be passed from person to person, but there's concern piggeries could amplify its spread.
Mosquito populations are already growing, with heavy rainfall and floods across the East Coast offering the perfect climate for a population boom.
While the vast majority of cases have no symptoms, the disease caused by the virus can be life-threatening.
People with severe symptoms such as nausea, headaches, light sensitivity, and fever should seek medical attention.
Dr Durrheim says we should be cautious, but catching the virus isn't as likely as we think.
"The risk is really generally close to domestic pigs or piggeries," Dr Durrheim said.
"When you get to the coast, the predominant mosquitos is the saltmarsh mosquito, so that's particularly prevalent in the Newcastle area."
"The aedes mosquito is not known to transmit flaviviruses or Japanese encephalitis virus."
We're being encouraged to prevent mosquito bites with a few easy precautions:
- Cover up while outside with loose, light-coloured clothing and covered footwear.
- Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk.
- Apply insect repellent on exposed skin that contains DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
- Use insecticide sprays, vapour dispensing units and mosquito coils to repel mosquitos.
- Cover openings such as windows and doors with insect screens.
- Remove water-holding containers outside your house where mosquitoes can breed.
