Campaspe Shire Council is urging community members and visitors to continue to take action to prevent mosquito bites after a second case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) was identified in a resident of northern Victoria, with likely exposure in the Riverina area of New South Wales.
The new case sparked a health alert from Victoria's Chief Health Officer on Tuesday, 4 March, while further evidence of JE circulating has been identified through environmental and mosquito sampling along much of the Murray River in Victoria.
With the Labour Day long weekend approaching and along with it the likelihood of an increased number of people being active outdoors in the region, Council is reminding residents and visitors to be aware of the need to protect themselves against mosquito-borne diseases.
In Victoria, mosquitoes can carry a range of diseases that are transmissible to humans, including Japanese encephalitis, Barmah Forest virus, Ross River virus, Murray Valley encephalitis, West Nile/Kunjin virus, and Dengue virus. For some of these diseases there is no effective treatment or vaccine, and the consequences of infection can be serious, and in rare cases life-threatening.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Daniel Mackrell said simple precautions taken by residents and visitors could make a big difference in avoiding mosquito-borne diseases.
"As we welcome visitors to our shire, it's important that residents and tourists alike take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites so they can enjoy their time outdoors worry-free," Cr Mackrell said.
"Mosquitoes are a natural part of our ecosystem, but we can minimize the risk of bites by using repellents, wearing long sleeves, and avoiding peak mosquito activity hours at dawn and dusk."
Japanese encephalitis is a rare but potentially serious infection of the central nervous system caused by the JE virus. Symptoms of JE may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches, although most infected people do not have symptoms. People with severe infection can develop encephalitis or meningitis which can be fatal. Anyone with symptoms should seek urgent medical care.
A vaccine to protect against JE is available for specific groups at higher risk of exposure to the virus in high-risk areas of northern Victoria, including Campaspe Shire. The vaccine is recommended for people aged 2 months or older who live or work in a high risk LGA (includes Campaspe) and:
- regularly spend time engaging in outdoor activities that place them at risk of mosquito bites, OR
- are experiencing homelessness, OR
- are living in conditions with limited mosquito protection.
JE vaccine is available at GP clinics, local pharmacies and Council immunisation providers. A provider list is available through the Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit website at www.bendigohealth.org.au or by phoning 1800 959 400.
To prevent mosquito-borne diseases, it's best to avoid mosquito bites altogether. Cover up when you're outdoors with long, loose, light-coloured clothing, use mosquito repellents with DEET or picaridin, and limit outdoor activities whenever mosquitoes are about – particularly around dawn and dusk. Remove stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed, ensure your holiday accommodation has mosquito netting or screens, and use 'knockdown' fly spray, mosquito coils, or plug-in repellents where you gather outdoors. When using insect repellent on children, check the label carefully and avoid applying it to their hands and face.
