Urgent health alert after Aussie dies of rare virus: 'Incredibly unlucky'
Australians are being urged to take precautions against mosquitos after health authorities confirmed the first recorded death from a rare infection since 2022.
On Tuesday, NSW Health confirmed a man in his 70s died in a Sydney hospital after contracting Japanese encephalitis (JE). It is suspected he contracted the virus in the Murrumbidgee region in January. And, while an entomologist told Yahoo News those infected are "incredibly unlucky", there has been a handful of cases sprouting up and causing concern in NSW and Victoria recently.
"These two cases of JE virus [in NSW], one of which was infected while travelling for a holiday, shows it is very important all people take precautions against mosquitoes, not just those living in affected regions," NSW Health's Executive Director of Health Protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty said. "JE is a risk you must consider."
This is the state's third recorded death since JE was first detected in 2022.
Mosquitos develop JE by biting an infected animal and then passing this onto a human, with the mosquito's spit carrying the virus. Cases are more common in the Murray Darling Basin region of the country — an area that stretches over NSW and Victoria, and extends to small parts of Queensland and South Australia — and this is heightened in wetland areas.
"We don't often see activity of the JE virus along the highly populated east coast of Australia, which is good news," entomologist Cameron Webb told Yahoo News. "It tends to occur to the west of the Murray Darling Basin region... it's more inland."
Populations are sparser away from the coast which bodes well for lessening infection rates. And the rate of symptom development even when bitten by an infected mosquito is low, meaning it is quite rare to develop JE.
"We do know for Japanese encephalitis virus, as few as one in 250 people who are actually bitten by an infected mosquito develop symptoms. So that's one of the reasons why we see so few cases," Webb continued. "You've got to be incredibly unlucky to be infected."
More than 90 per cent of JE virus infections are asymptomatic, according to Victorian Department of Health.
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However, the case-fatality rate among those with JE can be as high as 30 per cent, according to the World Health Organisation, meaning the virus needs to be taken seriously.
JE is "one of the only mosquito-borne viruses in Australia, where we have a vaccine available", Webb explained, so those who live or work in high risk areas are encouraged to get it. This sentiment is echoed by health authorities.
"Thankfully, there are simple steps you can take to avoid mosquitoes, and there is also a safe and effective vaccine available," McAnulty said.
Using skin repellents that contain DEET are encouraged and wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants with covered footwear can help ward off unwanted bites. Avoiding peak mosquito times such as dawn and dusk, and ensuring windows and doors have insects screens can drastically reduce your risk of getting infected.
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