A man is in the hospital with a potentially fatal virus that can also cause permanent brain damage after being bitten by an insect.
The man suffered a mosquito bite while camping in southwestern NSW and is the first confirmed case of the State of Japanese encephalitis (you) this summer after two people died of the condition in 2022.
The man is supposed to be infected at the end of December or early January during a vacation in the Murrumbidge area.
Executive director of NSW Health for Health Protection Dr. Jeremy Mcanulty said the virus had the potential to be widespread.
“This case, together with recent detections in pigs and mosquitoes in NSW and detections in Victoria and Queensland, emphasizes the risk of your virus infection in a large part of NSW west of the large division range,” Dr. Mcanulty.
'It is very important for people who live in these areas or travel to these areas to be aware of the increased risk and to take precautions against mosquito bites.
“In addition to your virus, Murray Valley encephalitis, Kunjin, De Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses can also be spread by mosquito bites.”
You are a rare but potentially serious infection of the central nervous system and is supported by some, but not all mosquitoes.
NSW recorded the first confirmed case of Japanese encephalitis (you) this summer (stock image)
The virus has a deadly figure of up to 30 percent for those who are detected with it, according to the World Health Organization.
Permanent brain disorders of the virus occur in a maximum of half of the diagnosed cases, but most people you get have no symptoms.
For those who do, symptoms develop five to 15 days after being bitten by infected mosquitoes and they include fever, headache and vomiting.
Severe symptoms affect less than one percent of people. These include neck stiffness, disorientation, vibrations, epileptic seizures, paralysis and even falling into a coma.
The worst infections can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
An effective and free vaccine to protect against you is available for anyone who lives or works routinely in various domestic LGAs and for people who work in some other risky professions.
NSW Health said that before the mosquito season 2021-2022 the Je-Virus was rarely found in Australia with previous cases that were noticed only in North Australia, Cape York and the Strait of Torres.
In 2021-2022, 45 people were infected and seven people died.
Japanese encephalitis can lead to permanent brain damage or death (shown: the virus under the microscope)
It is not known how or when your virus came to mainland Australia, but NSW Health said that the movement of infected mosquitoes or migratory water birds may have played a role in the spread of the virus, combined with a lot of rain.
Your virus is not contagious and it cannot be caught by eating pork or other pork products.
Residents in NSW to the west of the Great Dividing Range have been encouraged to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites by applying regularly repelling, especially after swimming.
Wearing light, loose -fitting shirts with long sleeves, long pants, covered shoes and socks, and avoiding to go outside in peak mosquito times, especially sunrise and twilight is recommended.
Health officials said people at home must ensure that insect screens are placed on windows and doors and are hole -free, as well as removing items that can collect water, such as old tires and empty pots to prevent breeding.
